Chocolate Almond Mousse Tart

I'm behind guys. This little football game next Sunday has been keeping this PR lady pretty busy. When you are lucky enough to work with NFL's official beer sponsor and legendary Super Bowl advertiser, there's a lot to do. Clydesdales basically own my ass.

The combination of the Super Bowl and early sunsets has me far enough behind on Carey On Lovely that I'm just getting to a recipe from Christmas. Shame on me. Blogger fail.

But you guys will forgive me if it's delicious and chocolatey, right? Mousse redemption? Don't make this girl beg. There's an ice cream cone crust. That's it, isn't it. I won you back with the cones.

I made this fabulous tart for my big ole' family Christmas dinner. You can make it ahead and it's light enough to cut through big meal fullness. 

Doesn't my Aunt Jane have pretty plates and counters? I should blog at her house more often. Or just move-in to her pantry and use her awesome gas stove every day. Wouldn't be weird at all. 

Don't forget to tune-in to the game. Think of me when you see the adorable animals and delicious beer. Cheers!

Chocolate Almond Mousse Tart
4oz ice cream cones, broken-up
4 graham crackers, broken-up
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
5oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup raspberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine ice cream cones, graham crackers, salt, sugar and butter in a food processor. Pulse until completely crumbled. Pour in butter and process until combined. Use your fingers to press the crumbs into the bottom of 10-inch removable bottom tart pan or springform pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely.

In a saucepan combine almonds, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove almonds with a slotted spoon and lay in a single layer on parchment. Cool completely.

In a saucepan heat 3/4 cup cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Allow to cool. In a stand mixer whip the remaining 1 cup cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Fold in cooled chocolate mixture. Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate covered for few hours until set.

Garnish with sugared almonds and raspberries. Serve and enjoy!

Baby Shower Sundae Bar

Another beautiful baby about to join this world. And goodness, will she be loved. The only thing this mom-to-be might love as much is ice cream. Seriously, I've never met someone who loves the stuff so much. She loves it enough to flip the spoon over with every savored bite. So naturally, I needed to prepare an ice cream dessert for her shower.

I decided to put together a sundae bar, so that guests could customize their treats. But sprinkles and maraschinos seemed ho-hum. I spiced things up.

Baby Shower Sundae Bar

Vanilla Ice Cream

Balsamic Strawberry Sauce

Salted Caramel Sauce

Fresh Whipped Cream

Dark Chocolate Almond Bark

Toasted Coconut

The guests loved the unexpected toppings. I mean, who doesn't love a sundae? And since this party wasn't at my home, it was great that I could make everything in advance. And each component was surprisingly easy.

Strawberries were simply sauteed in sugar and good balsamic vinegar.

Cream whipped.

Sugar expertly burnt and salted.

Dark chocolate was melted and topped with sliced almonds.

Coconut was toasted.

Baby girls and mommas were surrounded by love and good desserts. Bloggers enjoyed themselves enough to forget to take pictures of the finished sundaes. All is well.

Sundae Bar
For 15 guests
2 large containers high-quality vanilla ice cream

Salted Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Over medium high heat, melt sugar for caramel sauce; stirring frequently with metal whisk. Cook sugar until it acquires a copper color (about 3-5 minutes; monitoring closely). Off the heat, add butter and salt; stirring until butter is fully incorporated. Add heavy cream and return to heat; stirring vigorously. Cook another 1-2 minutes and handle with care; this is VERY hot.

Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Whip cream with an electric mixer, until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla in last minute of whipping.

Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
2 cups strawberries, quartered
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Combine strawberries, sugar and vinegar in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar melts and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Dark Chocolate Almond Bark
1 12oz bag dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Draw a 9x10 square on a sheet of parchment and reserve on cookie sheet. Melt two-thirds of chocolate over a double-boiler with water just simmering (not boiling). Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate, stirring quickly and vigorously.

Spread chocolate evenly to fill square. Top with almonds and allow chocolate to cool. Break into large chunks for chocolate bar.

Toasted Coconut
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring one or two times. Allow to cool.

Nutella Chocolate Mousse

This stuff is crack. Oh Nutella, how I love thee. Just when I thought peanut butter was my best friend, you come around to remind me just how good you are.

I know, I know... I always say I'm not a dessert person, but Nutella desserts are beyond resistance for me. I had the ladies over for Oscar night and had to make something chocolatey and luscious. Nutella indulgence whilst judging the outfits of others? Count me in! Anne Hathaway what on earth were you thinking?

This mousse is rich in flavor, but manages to stay light in texture. As a pudding, it's easy to make ahead too. I was just hanging with my besties, so I kept it casual in lowball glasses, but you could definitely class it up by serving in Champagne flutes or martini glasses.

Chocolate and Nutella are definitely the stars of this dessert, with cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla bringing it all together.

You'll need to separate eggs for this one, since each component plays an important -- and very different role. The yolks will thicken the chocolate mixture and give it body, and the beaten whites will then fluff it up.

Melting chocolate is as simple as popping a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. No need for a fancy double boiler pot. Just don't use it glass bowl... it will crack.

Butter, chocolate and Nutella will start coming together over the simmering, moist heat. Just keep things moving in the bowl to avoid burning.

Off the heat, you'll add the egg yolks and whisk vigorously to combine. This mixture will be very thick and may even appear dry.

In a separate bowl, you'll beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. See how the below point holds its shape? That's how you know you have a stiff peak (that's what she said... couldn't resist). Separate from the egg whites, you'll also whip the cream to soft peaks, meaning the top of the peak with lop over rather than stand up.

Once the egg whites and cream are whipped into shape, you'll combine with the chocolate mixture. To ensure the chocolate doesn't deflate the eggs, add just a few tablespoons to loosen it up. Then you'll fold in the rest egg whites, followed by the cream.

Fold just until combined and be sure to taste to make sure things taste okay. It is your duty as a maker of dessert.

Spoon into the cups of your choice and inevitably make a mess of your kitchen whilst doing so. Refrigerate for a spell and enjoy with your girls. Contemplate how on earth she could have chosen THAT dress. Oy!

Nutella Chocolate Mousse
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fill a pot with about one inch of water and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cover pot with a metal bowl and add Nutella, butter and chocolate. Stir until just before melted. Remove from heat and stir vigorously until chocolate is fully melted, then add egg yolks one at a time.

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat half the sugar with the egg whites to stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat cream, remaining sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.

Stir a few tablespoons of egg white into chocolate, just until loosened. Fold in remaining egg whites, just until combined, then fold in whipped cream. Spoon into serving glasses and refrigerate at least an hour or two before serving.

Holiday Chocolate Bark

Look... the reality is we all work REALLY hard and we could be better about saying Thank You. This is true of any job, but especially in the go-go-go PR world. That's why I like to give a personal treat to each of my teammates during the holidays. I can't make up for every freak out or tight deadline, but chocolate never hurt.

As a less-than-enthusiastic baker, I love chocolate bark. Start with your favorite semi-sweet and dark chocolate, melt and add toppings... that's it! And with abundance of candy and cookie balls this time of year, I love getting creative with dried fruits and nuts. Grown up treats.

Also, pardon the photo quality today guys. I'm having iPhoto export issues and the sun refused to shine when I was cooking over the weekend.

Since you need the chocolate to harden, it's a good idea to temper it. This just means you melt 2/3 over heat and then add the rest off the heat; stirring quickly and vigorously to get it shiny. I'm admittedly only two for three on proper tempering this year. I got distracted... have you seen my dog? He's adorable.

Pour out the melted chocolate on to parchment. Draw a 9x10 square on the other side first, so that you can guide the thickness of your barks.

Then all you do is add your toppings and let it cool completely.

I like to do some lovely gift wrap too. You spend a lot of time with your co-workers, so make 'em feel special when you can.

Chocolate Bark
Makes 32 squares
1 12oz bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 12oz bag dark chocolate chips

Draw 9x10 squares on two sheets of parchment and reserve on cookie sheets. Melt two-thirds of chocolate over a double-boiler with water just simmering (not boiling). Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate, stirring quickly and vigorously.

Split chocolate between two sheets and evenly spread to fill squares. Top with toppings and allow chocolate to cool. Cut into squares and wrap in plastic wrap to maintain freshness.

*I like Ghirardelli chocolate for this

Suggested Toppings
Cranberry Apricot Ginger
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Coconut Banana Chip
2 cups banana chips
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1 cup chopped cashews

White Chocolate Cherry Walnut
*Swirl in 1/2 cup melted white chocolate
2 cups dried cherries
1 cup walnuts

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ya'll know I don't bake much. I seriously don't even get the cake ball thing. They physically hurt my teeth. With all this dissing of dessert I should make it clear that I will eat peanut butter on just about anything. On an apple... yep. Rice cakes... in the desk drawer. Banana... big head nod. I like natural peanut butter alright, but there's nothing to replace good 'ole creamy Jif in my life. They didn't even pay me to say that. Put it with chocolate and I'm down for the fat kid count.

I saw this recipe pop up on Pinterest and had been considering it for awhile. I had originally planned to make them as marathon day snacks, but my sink clogged #boocrappyapartment. I'm glad I didn't give up on the peanut butter ball dream... chocolate and peanut butter are obviously incredible, but the oats in these cookies give them remarkable texture and a little less guilty.

Just a few simple ingredients and no need to get out the kitchen scale. I did do a bit more measuring than usual though. Bakers be proud.

Whole grains = chewy. Delicious.

This is a similar method to a Rice Krispy treat. Easy enough for kiddos and room for endless variations.

Ahh.... this shit just got real. Once everything is combined, you'll need to move quickly to scoop the cookies before they dry out.

I wished I had a small ice cream scoop. I used a tablespoon with a flexible end and my fingers instead.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fat free milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups rolled oats

Cover one cookie sheet in parchment paper.

Melt butter over low heat in a heavy bottomed pan. Add sugar, milk and cocoa powder and stir until combined. Add in peanut butter and chocolate chips, stir until melted. Remove from heat and add oats, stirring quickly to combine.

Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop out individual cookies onto parchment. Move quickly to complete this before mixture dries out. Refrigerate cookies for 30 minutes before serving.