Mini Dark Chocolate Fudge Peppermint Cakes Food

DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PATTIE CAKE

Steps:

• If you're one of those individuals who always opts for the chocolate-covered Thin Mints when your local Girl Scout representative comes calling, this dessert is for you. The refreshing peppermint counterpoint takes the edge off the intense fudge-like cake.
• To facilitate cutting the Peppermint Patties, I often freeze them first. Use a hot, dry long-bladed knife to cut perfectly clean slices of the cake.
• Serve with whipped cream, cocoa fudge sauce, and a drizzle of mint syrup.
• Cocoa Fudge Sauce, recipe follows, for serving
• Mint Syrup, recipe follows, for serving
• To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 1/2 to 10-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, and flour the pan, tapping out the excess flour.
• Melt the chocolate with the butter and cream in the top of a double boiler. Reserve.
• In the bowl of a mixer with a whip, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until very thick and light (about 5 minutes). Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg yolks and mix until just blended. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla and mix until combined, scraping the bowl once or twice. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and stir in the Peppermint Pattie pieces. The mixture will be quite thick.
• In a clean mixing bowl, with a clean whip, beat the egg whites to medium soft peaks. Lighten the batter by stirring in about one-third of the egg whites. Fold in the remaining whites and the place batter in the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. The top of the cake will feel set and very fine hairline cracks will just start to form around the edges. Remove and cool in the pan on a rack.
• To make the ganache topping: Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan to just under a boil. Add the chopped chocolate and, over very low heat, constantly stirring, cook the mixture until it is completely smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable. This can take several hours. You can make the topping up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate it, and allow it to come to room temperature for several hours before using. You can also hasten the cooling process by placing the melted ganache over an ice bath and gently stirring it till thickened; however, the resulting texture may not be quite as smooth and creamy.
• Place the cooled cake upside down on a cardboard cake circle or a service plate. Remove the sides and bottom of the springform pan. Remove the parchment liner. Using an offset spatula, decoratively spread the ganache over what is now the top of the cake, drawing the ganache all the way out to the edges of the cake. Using the offset spatula, level the edges to give the cake a finished look. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, Cocoa Fudge Sauce and Mint Syrup.
• Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the cream and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat, whisking often. Allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and strain though a fine sieve. Cool and serve at room temperature. This can be made up to 1 week ahead of time. It can also be frozen.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer several minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Reserve.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Have a strainer and a bowl of ice water at the ready. Working quickly, place the mint leaves in the boiling water and blanch until just wilted (about 10 seconds). Immediately strain the mint and place the leaves directly in the ice water to set their color. Strain the mint again, pressing to remove excess liquid.
• Place the mint leaves and half of the reserved syrup in a blender. Puree the mint, stopping several times to scrape down the blender bowl. Add the remaining syrup and blend for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a clean storage container and allow to sit overnight, covered, at room temperature.
• Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solid mint puree. Store the syrup, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir lightly before using.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups

DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT FUDGE

Steps:

• Combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter, peppermint extract, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Heat in the microwave on medium-high until chips are melted, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
• Pour chocolate mixture into an 8x8-inch silicone baking dish; top with crushed peppermint candies. Lightly press candies, using the back of a spoon, into chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until set, 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE WITH PINK PEPPERMINT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake as directed on box for two 9-inch rounds; cool completely.
• Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. Add vanilla, peppermint extract and food color, a drop at a time, beating until desired color is obtained.
• Split each cake horizontally to make 2 layers. Place 1 layer on serving plate; spread top with thin coat frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost side and top of cake with thin coat frosting; refrigerate 10 minutes to allow frosting to firm up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Arrange whole peppermints then sprinkle crushed peppermint around side and top of cake.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

MINI DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE PEPPERMINT CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or lightly spray 2 large 12×18-inch baking sheets with sides with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper then butter again or lightly spray with nonstick spray.
• In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks and 2 cups sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined; beat in vanilla. In a small bowl whisk together flour cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until mixed. Stir coffee into water until dissolved. Alternated adding flour mixture and coffee into eggs/sugar mixture while beating with electric mixer on low speed just until combined.
• In a separate large mixing bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter until just combined.
• Spread batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 14-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly then run a knife along edges of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake over on work surface and remove parchment paper. Cool completely then using a 3-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter (or sharp knife) cut out cake into circles.
• Prepare frosting by mixing together butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in peppermint extract. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until desired consistency.
• Place a cake layer on work surface, top with frosting, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes, top with another cake layer and repeat with frosting, then candy canes, then top with a third cake layer. Repeat with remaining cake, frosting, and crushed candy canes. If there are any crushed candy canes left, sprinkle around sides of cakes.
• Place heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power in 30 second intervals until very hot and bubbly. Pour over chocolate chips in a bowl and stir together with corn syrup until smooth. (If mixture is not completely melted, microwave on half power in 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.) Cool slightly then spoon over tops of each cake. Store cakes in refrigerator until ready to serve. Cover cakes if storing for more than a few hours. Top with candy cane candy if desired before serving.
• NOTE: Candy Cane Candy - place crushed candy canes on parchment paper or silpats and bake in 350 degrees F oven for 5-8 minutes or until melted. Cool completely then break into pieces.

PEPPERMINT FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Spray a 10 inch bundt pan with cooking oil and set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in large bowl; whisk together well.
• Whisk together applesauce, oil, vanilla, and peppermint extract by hand in medium bowl.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry with a few swift strokes just until blended.
• Pour into bundt pan.
• Bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
• Cool on rack.

DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips w/milk and salt.
• Remove from heat and stir in walnuts and vanilla.
• Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8 or 9" square pan.
• Chill pan 2 hours or until firm.
• Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off wax paper and cut into squares.
• Store loosely covered at room temperature.

MINI CHOCOLATE-GLAZED FUDGE CAKES

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 350°F Line 48 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
• COMBINE flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir well.
• BEAT sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and Coffee-mate. Slowly beat in flour mixture until smooth. Add coffee; beat on low to incorporate, then increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Spoon batter evenly into prepared cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before topping with chocolate glaze.
• FOR CHOCOLATE GLAZE: COMBINE 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ cup NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Baking Cocoa, 6 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Fudge Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE Liquid Coffee Creamer, 6 tablespoons NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels and 2 tablespoons butter in medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to heat at 10-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Use about 1 teaspoon of glaze per cupcake.

DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake:.
• Sieve the flour and cocoa powder and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until soft and light, stir in the orange rind.
• Break chocolate into a bowl (I recommend that you use 70% cocoa solid minimum), add boiling water and stir until the chocolate is melted and well blended.
• Lightly whisk the eggs and gradually beat into the butter and sugar mixture.
• Beat in the melted chocolate, and then fold in the flour/cocoa mixture with a metal spoon.
• Spoon the mixture into two greased and lined tins and bake at 180/350/Gas 4 for 25-30 minutes, until cake shrinks away from the sides of the tin.
• Allow to cool slightly in tins, and then turn out on wire rack. When cold, slice each cake horizontally to make 4 layers. Using a thin layer of jam, sandwich all layers of the cake together.
• Fudge coating:.
• Sift icing sugar and cocoa and set aside.
• Put the butter, water and caster sugar into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer.
• Pour the hot mixture into the sieved icing sugar/cocoa mixture; mix together until its thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Pour coating quickly over the cake; smooth over the sides. Leave to set before serving.