Tag Archives: Chocolate

My Not So Strange Addition

Posted on March 21, 2012 | 3 comments

Hi, I am the Bite-Sized Blonde and I am addicted to Crack. Well, I’m addicted to Crack Pie, which just so happens to get its name from the addiction it is sure to bring on.  If you are not intrigued, you should be.  Crack Pie is what can only be referred to as the ingenious love child of Christina Tosi, the unbelievably talented and deliciously inclined Pastry Chef at Momofuku Milk Bar.  So, back to the crack.  This is the pie that all pies aspire to be.  The crust is unlike any you have tried before, it is crunchy enough to balance out the gooey center but it maintains an element of chewiness that will pleasantly surprise your textural taste buds.  This crust won’t fall apart either – so say goodbye to your pie anxiety – which will forever be known as anxpiety, because you don’t have to worry about a messy pie, which I think we can all agree is a major buzz kill.

Not only does this pie come equipped with the most serious crust in town, it is filled with pure heaven.  The filling is made of butter, cream and sugar and resembles the inside of a pecan pie, minus the pecans.  It is sweet and creamy with a subtle hint of saltiness that will have you screaming.  Think Harry met Sally, but less acting.

As if the pie wasn’t reason enough to visit Momofuku Milk Bar, they make some of the best cookies in Manhattan.  Take it from a Cookie Connoisseur.  The cookies are out of this world.  I have three favorites; I know you aren’t surprised I couldn’t pick just one.  The Corn Cookie is totally unexpected, but that’s not what makes it so good.  It’s the perfect combination of a corn muffin and a sugar cookie.  It’s light and airy but oh so substantial, and needless to say, it’s chew-chew-chewy.  This cookie might be unexpected, but after one bite, you won’t have any idea why.

Another unexpectedly awesome cookie is the Cornflake Marshmallow Cookie.  The cornflakes add an unanticipated element of crunchiness to the cookie and the marshmallows melt into the cookie batter so beautifully.  The cookie is flecked with chocolate chips to round out the flavors.  This cookie is unparalleled, even up against the Compost Cookie.

The Compost Cookie, which is trademarked obviously, is an addictive combination of all things delicious, including coffee beans and chocolate chips, and lots of butter and sugar.  Of course, if cookies aren’t your thing – well, you should go see a doctor.  But, in the meantime you can still enjoy some of Christina Tosi’s delicacies, including Cereal Milk Ice Cream and Cake Truffles.

Christina Tosi is the Queen of Chewy.  Chewy pies, chewy cookies.  Chew Chew!! All Aboard.  First stop Chewy-Ville, next stop…well probably rehab? Someone is going to have to pry that Crack Pie right out of my hands.

Momofuku Milk Bar
milk bar east village
251 E 13th St.
New York, NY

milk bar midtown
15 W 56th St.
New York, NY

milk bar upper west side
561 Columbus Ave.
New York, NY

milk bar brooklyn
382 Metropolitan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY

3 Comments

Posted in Restaurant

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Spring Cleaning

Posted on March 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

So, it’s the first day of Spring.  What are you thinking? If you are anything like this Bite-Sized Blonde there are two simple words that come to mind….Spring and Cleaning.  Sure, Spring Cleaning might not sound exciting, but then again, you’ve never spent Spring with me before.

If it’s time to clean, then it’s time to take out the trash.  And you know what they say about trash…One man’s trash, well, it just might be delicious.  White chocolate trash is one of those irresistible snacks; it’s like confetti with different flavors and textures.  Smooth white chocolate, mixed with crunchy nuts, salty pretzels and sweet cereal create a snack that will have you warming up to the idea taking out of trash more often.  White trash is truly the epitome of junk food; but if this is trash, then I’m okay with my tummy being a garbage can.

White Chocolate Trash

Ingredients
1 ½ cups of Peanut Butter Cheerios
1 ½ cup of Rice Chex Cereal
½ cup of unsalted peanuts
1 ¼ cups of salted mini pretzels
1 12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips

Directions
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Then, measure out all of your dry ingredients and mix together in a large bowl.  Add the chocolate chips to a separate, microwave safe bowl.  Place the microwave and cook for two minutes, removing the bowl every thirty seconds to stir.  Once the chips are about halfway melted remove from the microwave and stir until fully melted.  This will help the chocolate maintain its sheen.   Once the chocolate is fully melted, add the cereal mixture and toss. Coat evenly.  Spoon the mixture onto the baking tray and place in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.  Remove the tray from the refrigerator and break the trash into small to medium size pieces. Serve and Enjoy!

Leave a comment

Posted in Recipes

Tagged , , , , ,

Get Your Heart On

Posted on February 14, 2012 | 2 comments

Valentine’s Day is all about the nostalgia for me.  It’s represented by handmade cards, usually made from doilies and construction paper, and conversation hearts.  You know what I’m talking about.  Those little heart shaped, pastel colored candies with adorable sayings written on them?  You know the ones that didn’t taste all that great but you ate them anyway? Yea, those things.  Ever wonder how such a mediocre candy became the sugary symbol of a whole holiday? Well, I do.  And since I couldn’t figure it out, I decided to give them a makeover.

Thinking outside the box, of candy that is, I decided these pasty pastel pieces need a serious upgrade.   Everyone loves cake and most certainly everyone loves chocolate, and it’s a known fact that everything on a stick tastes better.  So cake pops seemed like an obvious choice.

The best part? Other than the taste of course…By making your own conversation hearts you control the conversation.  Have something to say? Write it in edible ink.   Cause nothing says I love you like..well, a heart shaped dessert that says I love you.

And if you don’t want to say I love you…you can always go in another direction…

Conversation Heart Cake Pops (makes about 26)

Ingredients
1 box of yellow cake mix
Eggs
Butter
16 ounces of container ready-made frosting, vanilla
16 ounces of yellow candy coating
16 ounces of pink candy coating
16 ounces of green candy coating
Metal heart-shaped cookie cutter, 1 1/2 inches wide
26 paper lollipop sticks
Styrofoam block
Red Edible Ink Pen

Directions
Bake the cake as directed on the box, using a 9×13 in cake pan.  Let cool completely.  Once the cake is cooled, get organized and set aside a few hours to crumble, roll and dip the cake pops.

Crumble the cooled cake into a large mixing bowl.  This is the fun part, because you get to use your hands to crumble!  Make sure the cake is really crumble, no large pieces of cake please! Add 3/4 of the container of frosting to the bowl of crumbled cake and mix until incorporated.  You can use your hands (the fun way) or the back of a metal spoon.  *Don’t add the entire container of frosting.  If you do, the cake balls will be too moist.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Press the cake mixture into the pan in an even layer.  Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and then place into the freezer for 15 minutes, or in the refrigerator for a few hours.  Once thoroughly cooled, remove and get ready to cut!  Prepare another baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper.  Grab your heart shaped cookie cutter and get cutting! Cut out hearts.  Make sure the heart are thick enough to hold a lollipop stick.  They should be about 1 1/2 inches thick.   If you need to add more cake mixture to the heart, now is the time! Once the heart is cut out, place it on the second baking tray.  Continue until your finish the cake mixture.  If the mixture becomes sticky, place back into the freezer for a few minutes and then continue.

Once all the hearts are cut out, place into the freezer for 15 minutes to firm them up again before dipping.  Once they are firm, transfer them to the refrigerator.  Remove a few at a time for dipping, keeping the rest chilled.

Melt one color of candy at a time in a microwave safe plastic bowl, following the instructions on the packages.  The coating should be about 3 inches deep for easy dipping.  One at a time, dip about 1 1/2 inches of the lollipop stick into the melted candy coating, and insert the stick straight into the bottom of a heart shaped cake, pushing it no more than halfway through.  Dip the cake into the melted coating and tap off an excess coating.

Let the pops dry on the styrofoam block.  When they are completely dry, use a red edible ink pen to write notes on one side of each cake pop.

Serve and Enjoy!

P.S.  If you have extra chocolate, grabs some Oreos and pretzels and get dipping!

2 Comments

Posted in Recipes

Tagged , , , , , ,

The Devil is in the Details

Posted on July 18, 2011 | 4 comments

There are a few remedies I believe in whole-heartedly: Advil – for headaches, Zinc if you are about to get sick, and Chocolate – for just about everything else.  Sleepy? Cranky? Heartbroken? Grab a piece of chocolate and all is well in the world again.

Chocolate, although effectual enough to stand on its own, is elevated when it morphs into an enchanting devil’s food cake.  Devil’s food cake is the ultimate chocolate cake.  Not only is it rich, but its creamy in a way that no ordinary chocolate cake is.  There’s a reason they call it devil’s food cake.  It is unapologetically decadent.

Do you know what you get when you make something decadent even more delicious? Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake.   Whoever said you don’t bring sand to the beach never had a slice of this cake.  I wish I could take credit for this godly creation, but unfortunately, this was not a Bite-Sized Brain Child.  I found the recipe for this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake on Bakerella, an amazing baking blog.  I was entranced by the pictures of this cake;  it truly epitomizes the term “food porn.”

This cake was even more delicious than it looks if that’s event possible.  Although, these pictures are pretty sweet!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake

Ingredients
1 devil’s food cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped peanut butter cups (plus more for garnishing – I used 1 whole bag)
8 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup peanut butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line with wax paper and coat paper.  In a large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides after 1 minute. Fold in 2 cups of the chopped peanut butter cups. Pour batter into pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool the cakes completely.  Place chopped dark chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream just to a boil and then pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts. Add peanut butter and whisk until smooth.  Trim each cake layer so the tops are flat. Place one layer on a cooling rack and pour 1 cup frosting on top. Spread evenly with a spatula. Add second layer and pour remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Smooth out with spatula.

Allow frosting to set for a minute and gently press remaining chopped peanut butter cup pieces all over top of cake. Place in refrigerator for about an hour to set. Remove and serve.

http://www.bakerella.com/got-milk-i-hope-so%e2%80%a6/

4 Comments

Posted in Recipes

Tagged , , ,

Please sir, I want S’more!

Posted on May 26, 2011 | 6 comments

Ah, Memorial Day, the official start to summer, or at least summer hours. By now, I’m sure most of your plans are in order.  If you are anything like me, your packing list is ready and waiting to be checked off.  All that’s left to do is actually pack and pick up a nice bottle of wine for the friends that are so graciously hosting you this weekend.

Summer means a couple of things for me, sun, s’mores and sombreros.  Aright, you caught me, I couldn’t think of a third “S” and sombrero is just kind of funny.  But I am dead serious about s’mores.  S’mores are the quintessential summer dessert.  Graham crackers, good, chocolate, good, marshmallows, good.  I can just hear Joey now.   But, it’s not always easy to get everyone around the fire. Fear not, I have a solution! Brownie S’mores Pie.  This pie is so easy it’s almost stupid, which is the best kind dessert of course.

Ingredients
1 box of brownie mix
water
vegetable oil
eggs
1 pre-made graham crack piecrust
1 bag of mini marshmallows

You can find pre-made graham cracker piecrust in many supermarkets.  Hey, if Sandra Lee can appreciate the power of pre-made ingredients, so can I.  Of course, if you want to make your own graham cracker piecrust, who am I to tell you not to.  Go for it, knock ya socks off.  But I’ll just kick back and let the little Elves at Keebler do the dirty work for me on this one.    The next thing you’ll need is a  box of brownie mix and whatever ingredients the box calls for (usually vegetable oil and eggs).  And don’t forget the best part, marshmallows!!

Directions
Follow the recipe of the box of brownie mix and combine off all of the ingredients.  Pour the brownie batter into the piecrust and bake for approximately 45 minutes.  The pie is finished when you poke it with a  toothpick and it comes out clean.  While the pie is still warm, top it with lots of marshmallows! Wait to toast the marshmallows until you are going to serve the pie so they are warm and gooey.  To toast the marshmallows, you can use a small kitchen torch.  No torch? No problem.  Stick the pie in the toaster oven on broiler for about a minute.  Keep your eye on it though; the marshmallows burn quickly.  Slice and Enjoy!!

6 Comments

Posted in Recipes

Tagged , , ,