Update

Dear Readers,
     I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping my blog up so I have decided to postpone any more blogging on Simply Exquisite Desserts until my life slows down and I have more time to type up desserts. I don't wish to close down my blog though since I have  put a lot of work into it, so for now, feel free to explore my blog and perhaps eventually I will get back to posting things.

Sincerely,
    Miss.Adriana Castillo

(To learn more about me, you can check out my other blog tiled; A Flower In Bloom )

Christmas Mint Brownie Bites

Inside the Kitchen:
This recipe is actually of "Brownies in a Jar", and it makes a pan of brownies. I decided to change it though. One day I wanted something chocolaty, quick and easy to make, as well as mess-free (No chocolate goo on your hands). So I decided to alter the recipe by putting the batter in my favorite mini muffin pans. They turned out cute as can be! And now with the coming of Christmas, stores have started to sell mint chocolate chips, so I decided to mix them in the batter and... wha-la! You now have Christmas Mint Brownies!
Christmas Mint Brownie Bites
Makes 48 brownies (24 servings)

Items needed:
Two mixing bowls
A 24-cup mini muffin pan (If you have two, so much the better!)
Mixer (Kitchen Aid, or hand mixer)
Spatula

Ingredients:
1/2    Cup (1 stick) of Butter
1 1/2 Cup of Sugar
2       Eggs
1/3    Cup of Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
1       Cup of All-Purpose Flour
1/2    Teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/4    Teaspoon of Salt
1/2    Cup of Chocolate Chips
1       Cup of Mint Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, Semi-Sweet, or Butterscotch Chips

1#  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease your mini-muffin pan- set aside. Begin to beat butter with your mixer until fluffy. Add sugar to butter, mix well. Proceed in adding eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in Baking cocoa until well incorporated.

2# In a different bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add flour mixture to the chocolatey-eggy-sugary mixture. Combine well using the mixer. Proceed in adding chocolate chips:

Holiday Mint Brownies:
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips + 1 Cup Mint Chips

Chocolatey Brownies:
1 1/2 Cups of Chocolate Chips

Peanut Butter Brownies:
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips + 1 Cup Peanut Butter Chips

Butterscotch Brownies:
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips + 1 Cup Butterscotch Chips

3# Once chocolate chips are incorporated into your batter, begin to spoon the mixture into your mini-muffin pan. Then place pan in your oven for 10-13 minutes, make sure to keep a watchful eye so that they do not burn. Because they are smaller, they cook a whole lot faster! Enjoy your Christmas Treat! :)

~Basis of Recipe from Hershey's Cookbook

Rasberry Cake Roll

Inside the Kitchen:
I made this dessert for my little brother because he loves burritos, and what would be cuter for his birthday than a burrito cake? I made it and it turned out great! It's not the best tasitng dessert I ever made, but it does have good flavor. It's a fun and easy to make dessert! :)

Raspberry Cake Roll
Makes 12 Servings

Items Required
Mixing Bowl
Spatula
Wax paper
A 15x10x1 inch baking pan
Kitchen towel
Bread board
Platter to serve dessert on

Ingredient:
6     Egg Whites
1     Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4  Teaspoon Salt
1/4  Cup Sugar
1/2  Cup + 1 tablespoon of sifted Cake Flour
1/2  Tablespoon of grated Lemon Peel
1     Package of Cream Cheese (8 oz) softened
1/2  Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1     Cup of Whipped Topping (I prefer fresh whip cream)
1     Pint of fresh Raspberries or Sliced Strawberrys
       Additional Lemon Peel

1# Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites, lemon juice, and salt on low speed until foamy. Graduallly add sugar, beating on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (Tip: here is a website that I found regarding the beating of egg whites: http://bakingbites.com/2005/06/cooking-school-how-to-beat-egg-whites/).

2# In a separate bowl combine flour and lemon peel; Gradually fold into egg white mixture. *Folding is not whipping, it is a motion that you make with your hand and spatula. You can fold by using you spatula to scoop from the sides of your bowl and then placing the mixture into the center of the bowl, repeatedly do this and it will mix with out adding excess air. When completed, line your 15x10x1 inch baking pan with wax paper. Grease the wax paper before spreading batter evenly on top of paper. Place in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.

3# Cool cake in pan or wire rack for 5 minutes, then cover the top of cake with wax paper. Place a kitchen towel on top of the wax paper, and then a bread board on top of that. Proceed in flipping cake over so that it lays on the kitchen towel. Gently peel away greased wax paper from cake and discard. Proceed in rolling the narrow side of the cake, keeping the towel rolling with it, roll so that the towel is pressed to the underside of the cake. Place rolled cake on a rack to cool.

 4# For filling; Combine cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl, beat until cream cheese is fluffy. Proceed in gently mixing in the whipped topping. Cover and refigirate until ready to use.

5# Carefully unroll cake on a flat surface, with a spatula carefully spread filling over cake, leaving a 1/2 an inch on each side of cake with no filling. sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of berries. Begin to roll as previously done, only with out the towel and wax paper. Place cake roll on serving platter with seam face down. chill. Before serving, garnish with whipped topping, lemon peel, and remaining berries. Serve cold, and enjoy!

~Recipe Courtesy of Country Cooking Cookbook

European Mocha Fudge Cake

 
Inside the Kitchen:
I first made this dessert for my mom on Mothers Day. It was a pretty risky choice since it is generally better to practice making a dessert beforehand, rather than trying a new recipe on a special occasion. I followed the simple recipe though and it turned out amazing! Since then I have made this dessert several times and it is now my personal favorite!

European Mocha Fudge Cake
Makes 10-12 servings

Items Required:
Two 9 inch round baking pans
Wax paper
Scissors
Small saucepan
Stirring utensil
Large mixing bowl
Mixer (hand, or stationary will do)
Spatula
Cooling rack
Potato peeler

Ingredients
1 1/4 Cups (2 1/2 sticks) Butter
3/4    Cup Hersheys Special Dark Cocoa (Unsweetened)
4       Eggs
1/4    Teaspoon salt
1       Teaspoon Vanilla
2       Cups sugar
1       Cup all-purpose flour
1       Cup of pecans (I prefer Almonds)
1       Creamy Coffee Filling (Recipe Follows)
1       Giant Hershey bar

1# Heat oven to 350 degrees, Butter bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round baking pans. Line bottom of pans with wax paper (use your scissors and cutting a 9-inch circle out of the wax paper).

2# Melt butter in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Add cocoa, stirring until blended; Cool slightly. Beat eggs in a large bowl until foamy; add salt and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add cooled chocolate and butter mixture; blend thoroughly. Fold in flour. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture into prepared pans.

3# Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool 5 minutes before removing cake from pans (It may help to slide a butter knife around the edges of the pan to help it detach the sides of the pan). Place cakes on a wire rack to cool and gently peel of wax paper from bottom. cool cake completely. Make Creamy Coffee Filling.


4# Creamy Coffee Filling
1 1/2 Cups cold whipping cream
1/3    Cup packed brown sugar
2       Teaspoons of powdered instant coffee

Combine all ingredients inside your mixing bowl, start the mixer. Warning: If you start the mixture on a high speed then it can easily slosh right out of the bowl, it is advised that you raise the speed as the cream gets stiffer.  Stop the mixer once your whipped cream is creating stiff peaks, unless you want to make coffee flavored butter! ;) Lay one of the rounds of your cake on the plate that you wish it to be presented on, then begin to frost the top and sides of it. Once thickly frosted, place the second round of cake on top of the first. Proceed in the frosting the very top of the cake and the sides of it.


5# Once coated with the coffee flavored whip cream, get your potato peeler and chocolate bar out (See Tip at bottom of page). Begin to peel the chocolate with your peeler, it will then create beautiful chocolate curls! Proceed in garnishing the whole top of your cake with elegant curls :)

Tip: You want your chocolate to be slightly cooler than room temperature but not quite as chilled as the fridge, what works best is to refrigerate it then let it sit out ten minutes before using. That is the key to perfect curls!

~Recipe courtesy of the Hershey's cookbook