Daring Bakers Challenge - Chocolate Valentino Cake

It's the end of another month, and you know what that means...time for another Daring Baker's Challenge. When I first saw the challenge I read "chocolate" and "ice cream", and I immediately knew I was going to love this challenge.

The February 2009 challenge was hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef who have chosen a Chocolate Valentino Cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

We were given an incredible amount of freedom with this challenge. We were able to choose the type of chocolate used for the cake (dark, milk, white, etc.), and we could choose whatever ice cream recipe our little heart desired. I decided to use milk chocolate for the cake, and I made a delicious coffee ice cream.

Where to begin...well let's get started off with the cake recipe:

Chocolate Valentino

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F (I used a 9in. cake pan and then cut smaller cakes out of it)
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.
Once my cake was done, I cut out 2 inch circles and squares. I stacked two pieces of cake together and decorated it with chocolate. I either painted on melted chocolate to create a hard chocolate shell, or I used thick chocolate shavings. Add a little powdered sugar, and Oh Yum!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream! Coffee ice cream to be exact. The recipe I used was from Simply Recipes. Check out the recipe here. The cup that is holding the ice cream is made of chocolate too! Since this post is already getting lengthy, check back next week for a post on how to make them.

Remember that this is a "Chocolate Valentine", so I gave my parents and my sister and brother-in-law these yummy cakes for a Valentine treat. I think if I hadn't given away some of the cakes I could have eaten them all! They really were incredibly rich, delicious and down-right decadent!

Wordless Wednesday - The Photographer I'm Now Obsessed With...Rodney Smith

(Photos courtesy of Rodney Smith)

Chocolate + Coffee = Yum!

(Photo a HouseLewis Original)

Most days I have two little treats. The first is a cup of coffee with a little cream and sugar in the morning. I prefer to sip while sitting in a chair overlooking the morning fog on the lake...but my desk chair overlooking my morning emails will have to do. My second treat is a piece of chocolate in the afternoon. It's the perfect pick-me-up as the day begins to drag.

The other day while working on another cooking project (which you'll hear about very soon), I decided to make a combination of these two treats and created chocolate covered coffee beans. They were so simple and SO delicious!

Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans

1/2 cup whole coffee beans
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or if you're like me and don't have a double boiler, boil water in a sauce pan and melt chocolate in a glass bowl placed on top of the sauce pan).

2. Pour coffee beans into melted chocolate. Stir until coated.

3. Remove and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Separate beans as best you can so they are not touching.

4. Place cookie sheet in the fridge for 20 minutes and then enjoy!

5. Store in an airtight container.

Style Without Breaking the Bank - If SJP Can Do It, So Can I!

In Margaret Russell's book, So Chic, she features the glamorous and stylish homes of "the other half". "So Chic answers these questions and unveils the beautiful and luxurious homes of these trendsetters. This gorgeously illustrated book presents a rare glimpse into the world of high-style interiors and offers up an impressive array of the ravishing homes ranging in locale from Manhattan to Marrakech to Malibu."

Sarah Jessica Parker's house in the Hampton's is one of the homes explored. The picture above is her living room. Take a look at her coffee table...all of you Ikea lovers just saw that it's two Lack side tables pushed together! The clean lines and high lacquered finish are the perfect pairing to the plush sofa, and at $12.99 each they definitely don't break the budget.

Books Aren't Just For Readings Anymore

(Photo courtesy of Noriko Ambe)

A new exhibit is going to soon be filling the halls of the Bellevue Arts Museum. Dozens of artists, both local and international, will show off their craft in Book Borrowers: Contemporary Artists Transforming the Book.
"This exhibition highlights artists exploring, questioning and expanding the inherent quality of the book...Each piece is a sacrifice, a destruction of one sacred object to give birth to another.", Bellevue Arts Museum website.

(Photo courtesy of here)

Brian Dettmer is one of the artists that will be showing his art in the exhibit. He alters media in what are often referred to as "book autopsies". The idea is that the artist can transform the book to reveal a new message. The show runs from 2/24-6/14. if you're in the Bellevue, WA. area make sure you stop by to check it out.

Wordless Wednesday - Sproost Quiz

(Photo courtesy of Sproost)
Take this quiz at Sproost, to define your decor style.
(I was 60% Vintage Modern, 30% Modern Elegance and 10% Cottage Chic.)

Style Without Breaking the Bank - What's On Your Walls

(Photo courtesy of Domino Magazine)

Do you believe in love at first sight? Well I do because I have first hand experience. The second I laid eyes on this wallpaper by Cole and Son, I was twitterpated. The lines, the pattern, the modern way of bringing the outdoors inside...I love it all. It's sold at Rose and Radish for...gasp!, $195.00 per roll. My visions of a woodland inspired guest bedroom were thrown out the window.

(Photo courtesy of Ikea)

On a recent trip to Ikea, I found a budget friendly answer to my birch tree obsession. These curtain panels, called Anno Unni, are sold at $29.99 for a pack of two. I think these would look great hung on the wall as a backdrop to the bed.

(Photo courtesy of this blog)

As further inspiration, I found this great room that was created by a French designer. She installed birch trees right in her living room. While this may be a bit much for the typical home, wouldn't this look perfect at a cabin? So cozy!

Style on the Cheap

(Photo courtesy of Flickr)

With the economy in its current topsy-turvy state, home decor and entertaining has often been pushed to the back burner. I'm here to tell you that it just doesn't have to be that way. In the next few weeks I'll be sharing some ways that you can decorate your home, entertain your friends and just be downright stylish all without breaking the bank. So stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday - I'm Ready For Spring!

(Photo courtesy of Shelby Nycole)

The Month Of Love

Since this is the month to celebrate love, I thought I would share with you a new love of mine. Landlocd is a new jewelry line created by Venice, California based designers Brock & Jess Tucker Mayeux. Each piece is created by hand from gold, bronze and steel. My new personal obsession is the Kir Royale ring, shown above. It's modern, but perfectly timeless. This may not be the typical love celebrated this month, but you can't tear a girl away from her accessories!

Wordless Wednesday - Love Is In The Air

(Photo courtesy of Keep Calm Gallery)