Lucky Charm Treats

Take a break from traditional rice krispie treats and make these  super gooey White Chocolate Lucky Charm Treats.

6 Cups Lucky Charms cereal
4 Tablespoon Butter
10 Ounces Marshmallows + 1 cup (extra cup is strongly recommended)
1 Cup White chocolate

1. Spray 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows until they are just about fully melted into the butter. Add the White Chocolate chips and stir in till melted. Some chunks of marshmallow may remain. Add in the Lucky Charms cereal and stir until the cereal is fully coated.

3. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and gently spread out evenly. I sprayed the back of a large spatula with non-stick spray and gently pressed the mixture without packing it down. Allow to set for two hours at room temperature before cutting into rectangles or squares, whichever shape/size you prefer.

Drunken, Sunken Irish Coffee Chocolate Cake with Salted Bailey's Cream.

Cake:
9 ounces dark chocolate chopped
1/3 cup stout I used Guinness
2 Tablespoons instant coffee
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick + 5 tablespoons)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 eggs whites and yolks separated
1 3/4 cup almond meal/flour ground almonds
chopped chocolate and cocoa for dusting

Ganache:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
2 Tbs heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons Jameson Whiskey

Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs Bailey's
1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-10 inch spring form pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
2. Place the chocolate, stout beer, instant coffee and butter in a small saucepan. Place over low heat and gently cook (over the lowest heat) until melted and smooth. Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly.
3. Add the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the eggs yolks and almond meal until smooth.
4. Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold half the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen and then fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until just cooked through. The center should jiggle and be soft. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack.
6. Meanwhile, make the ganache. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until melted. Once melted stir in the Jameson and a pinch of salt. Pour the ganache over top the cake. Allow the ganache to set up slightly before adding the whipped cream.
7. To make the whipped cream, use an electric mixer to whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the Bailey's and salt, whip until combined.
8. Top the cake with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa if desired. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

***Great Gluten Free Dessert

Cider Braised Pork Loin

Ingredients 
4 Pound Pork Loin
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Salt
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Each  Onion
6 Cloves Garlic
2 Cups Apple Cider
6 Sprigs Thyme
2 Each Bay Leaf
1 Each Cinnamon Stick
2 Each Braeburn Apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1/4 Cup Apple Butter
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Each yams, peeled and sliced

Instructions
1. Combine Brown Sugar and Salt.  Score the fat side of the pork loin, then rub with the Brown Sugar Brine Mixture. Wrap tightly with Parchment paper and plastic wrap.  Store in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours

2. Preheat oven to 275. Unwrap the pork and brush off as much brine as possible. Pat dry with Paper Towels. Season with Pepper.

3. Heat oil in a Dutch Oven on med-high heat, just till the oil starts smoking. Sear all side of the port for about 3 minutes each. Turn fat side up and add in the onion that has been thinly sliced. Cook until fragrant and browning then add minced garlic. and cook about 2 more minutes. Add in 1 3/4 cups of the Apple Cider, Thyme, Bay Leaves and cinnamon stick. bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and transfer to the oven, cook for about 90 minutes and the meat registers to 160 degrees.

5. 30 minyes before pulling the meat out oil and season the sweet potatoes and place in over to roast

6. Transfer to a carving board and tent with foil.  Strain the braising liquid and reserve the liquid.

7. With a paper towel clean the Dutch Oven and add in 2 Tablespoons for the braising fat. Add in the apples cut side down, cook until brown about 3 minutes flip and do the same on other side.

8. Remove the apple to a platter and cover with foil. add 2 cups of the braising broth to the pot and whisk in the apple butter. Once to a boil, add some broth into the cornstarch to make a slurry and add to the hot liquid and whisk till smooth.  Add in the vinegar and allow to simmer.

9. Slice the pork loin and arrange on platter with apples & Sweet Potatoes, Pour the Cider Glaze into a gravy dish and pour lightly over the pork.

Tiramisu Crepe Cake

Tiramisu Crepe Cake

Crepes
1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tab Cornstarch
¼ Cup granulated sugar
2 Teaspoon kosher salt
4 Large Eggs
5 Large Egg Yolks
1 Stick Butter, unsalted
2 Cups Milk, whole
3 Tbs Grand Marnier
Tiramisu Filling
1 ¼ Cups Confectioners' Sugar
4 Cups Mascarpone Cheese
½ Cup Espresso
¼ Cup Cocoa Powder

Make the crepe batter

1. In a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cornstarch and sugar, 5 times (this is important to aerate the flour). Whisk in the salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth and webby (it will be very thick). In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the butter, then the milk and the Grand Marnier, until the batter is smooth (if there are any lumps, strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve and into a medium bowl). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Gently stir the crêpe batter, then pour ¼ cup of batter into the skillet. Holding the skillet by the handle, tilt and turn the skillet to quickly disperse the batter. Cook the crepe until the underside is golden-brown, about 1½ minutes. Lightly jerk the skillet to loosen the crepe, then flip the crepe over using a spatula, a more vigorous jerking motion or your fingers. Cook on the other side until golden-brown, about 30 seconds, then slide the crepe onto the parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the batter is used (you'll end up with about 20 crepes total, and will need 18 for the cake). Refrigerate the crepes on the baking sheet until completely chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Make the tiramisu filling:

1. In a fine-mesh sieve set over the bowl of a stand mixer, sift the confectioners' sugar. Add the mascarpone cheese and the Espresso. Use the paddle attachment to combine the mixture on low speed until well combined.

2. Remove the crepes from the refrigerator. Add 1 crepe to the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan so it lies flat. Add ¼ cup of the tiramisu filling to the center of the crepe and use a small offset spatula to evenly spread the filling over the crêpe. Repeat with the filling and 17 more crêpes. Refrigerate the leftover filling; you'll use it to finish the cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, undo the springform pan and set set it on a cake plate or platter. Spread the remaining tiramisu cream on top of the cake. Add the cocoa powder to a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle it over the top of the cake. Slice and serve

Servings: 12
Yield: 8" Cake

Tunnel-of-Fudge Cake

Ingredients

2 ½ cups Pecans, chopped2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 ¼ cups Butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces.
1 cup Sugar
¾ cup Brown Sugar, packed
¾ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
2 large Egg Yolk
4 large Eggs
2 cups Confectioners Sugar
2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour

¾ cup Cocoa Powder

Procedure:

Place a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone on a shelf in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees .

On a large baking sheet, roast nuts in the oven for 10 minutes. Keep watch that they do not burn. Pour into a bowl, and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss well and set aside.

Generously butter the inside of a large 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

In a mixer, beat butter to soften until it becomes fluffy. Add sugar, then the brown sugar and continue to beat until airy. While beating, if the bowl does not feel cool, place it in the freezer for five minutes, then resume beating.

Beat in 3/4 teaspoon salt, vanilla and vegetable oil.

Beat in two egg yolks into the cake mix. 

Crack the four whole eggs into a large mixing bowl. With a small knife, cut yolks and barely stir the eggs, minimally blending the whites and yolks.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, beat the eggs into the batter in three batches. Mix in confectioners' sugar and the cocoa.

In a large mixing bowl, stir flour and nuts together. Then with a spatula stir the flour-nut mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the Bundt Pan.

Bake for 40 minutes. You cannot use the toothpick test because the cake contains so much sugar that the center will not set but will remain a tunnel-of-fudge. You are dependent on a correct oven temperature and the 40-minute cooking time.

When removed from the oven, the cake will have a runny fudge core with an air pocket above the fudge. About 30 minutes after taking the cake out of the oven, press the inside and outside edge of the cake bottom down all the way around to minimize the air pocket. 

Let the cake, still in the pan, cool on a rack for 3 hours, this is important to keep the shape. Invert the cake onto a platter and let cool completely.

Note: Bundt Pan from William-Sonoma