Triple Chocolate Frozen Dessert

 The problem with making a delicious dessert to serve on Valentine’s Day is that you can’t write about it until after Valentine’s Day. Fortunately, this dessert works at any time of the year. It takes a bit of time to create due to both the cooling down of ingredients, and the freezing of the dessert itself, but it is well worth it, and so easy a child could do it.

Triple Chocolate Frozen Dessert

Slightly adapted from TastesofLizzyt.com

 7.5 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

7.5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped

7.5 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped

3 c. heavy cream

2 t. espresso powder

Optional toppings: hot fudge sauce, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts

Spray a 9”x5” loaf pan with PAM, and then line with aluminum foil so that it completely covers the pan and extends 2 inches above the pan.

 Place the white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate in three separate bowls.

 In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat until it is hot and simmering. Be sure to stir it often so it doesn't scorch.

 Pour 1 cup of cream over the white chocolate, 1 cup over the milk chocolate, and the last cup over the dark chocolate. Stir each of the chocolate mixtures until it is creamy and smooth, with the chocolate completely melted. (Add the espresso powder to the melted milk chocolate.) Allow the mixtures to cool for 5-10 minutes; refrigerate for 30 minutes to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the milk chocolate mixture with the whip attachment on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Watch it carefully and stop the mixture when it becomes thick like sour cream. Be careful not to over-beat. The colder the chocolate is, the faster it will whip up.

 Spread the whipped milk chocolate in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pan in the freezer.

 Rinse the mixing bowl and whip attachment. Repeat this process with the white chocolate. Again, be careful not to over mix. Watch the mixture as it whips and stop it as soon as it becomes thick and creamy. Spread the white chocolate over the top of the milk chocolate layer in the pan. Place the pan back into the freezer.

 Rinse the mixing bowl and whip attachment. Repeat this one last time with the dark chocolate. Spoon this mixture over the white chocolate layer and smooth the top.

Cover the top of the pan with foil and freeze until firm, at the minimum, 3 hours.

When you are ready to serve, lift up on the foil to remove the dessert from the pan. Invert the frozen dessert onto a serving plate and remove the foil. Top with the optional toppings, if desired. Slice and serve.

 

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After Dinner Mint Pie

Not too long ago reader of this blog contacted me to ask me what happened to my recipe for After Dinner Mint Pie. She said she had seen it on the blog, but couldn’t find it and wondered if I could email it to her. I hadn’t remembered a recipe like that, but with more than 1300 recipes on this blog, it very well could have been there, so I did a search of my own. As I thought, I hadn’t made an After Dinner Mint Pie. But I got to thinking, gosh that sounds pretty darned good. So, I started looking around on the Internet, found a number of different recipes, and then decided to come up with one on my own, a combination of those that I had seen, along with something that I hadn’t, namely a crust made out of mint Oreo cookies.

Coming up with the idea for this crust, I did not do alone. I was talking to my number two son, telling him about this pie. (Saying the word “pie” is certain to get his attention, and trust me, that attention was rapt.) I don’t like making a traditional pie  crust, so that was out of the question, then I wondered aloud, should I do graham cracker? Shortbread cookie? Chocolate cookie? Oreo cookie, or what? 

My son looked at me and said, “You know what you always say mom.” 

What I always say? What do I always say? “Life is short, eat dessert first,” I asked him. 

No, was the reply. 

“Chocolate is not meant to be shared.” He looked at me. 

“Give me chocolate or give me death?” I looked at him hopefully. 

No! I could tell he was getting frustrated. 

“Go big or go home!” he told me. He’s right, I do say that, a lot. 

Okay, MINT Oreo cookies it is.

You are going to love this pie, and so will your guests. The lively green color make it appropriate for both St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas, but don’t wait until those holidays to make this light, refreshingly delicious, pleasingly pastel, boozy dessert; the sooner the better!

After Dinner Mint Pie

1 15.25-ounce package Mint Creme Oreos
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup crème de menthe
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream
1-2 drops of peppermint extract, more or less to taste
4 drops green food coloring
2 cups heavy cream, whipped

Place Oreo cookies into the work bowl of a food processor; process until pulverized. Add melted butter, and process until mixed. Press crumbs into the bottom of a 9” pie plate, reserving 1/4 cup for topping. Place pie pan into freezer while you make the filling. Put marshmallow cream into a large mixing bowl, and slowly whisk in crème de menthe. Whisk in extract and food coloring. Carefully fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pan and return to the freezer. Allow to freeze for at least four hours. It will not freeze firm because of the crème de menthe, making it easy to slice when you’re ready to serve it. Serve sprinkled with remaining cookie crumbs, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and a spritz of whipped cream.

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If you prefer your after dinner mints in a more portable form, be sure to try this Andes Mint Chocolate Chip Fudge.

This post is linked to:

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Merry Monday

Over the Moon

 Celebrate Your Story

Inspire Me Tuesday

Reader Tip Tuesday

Tuesdays with a Twist

Dream, Create, Inspire

Grace at Home

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Shamrock Shakes

If you don’t want to bother making a Guinness Stout Cake to conclude your St. Patrick’s Day meal, whip up some fun with these boozy, delicious, and colorful shakes. Ideally a malted milk mixer is the best option, but if you have a bullet blender, it will do. The beauty of these, besides their delicious taste, is that they can be made ahead and stored in the freezer up to and including the whipped cream topping and mini chocolate chips. Because of the alcohol content they don’t freeze solid, so you can store them in the freezer until you’re ready to serve them. I stored mine in the freezer with the straws in them so there was no delay whatsoever in getting them to my curious guests. Keep in mind that these shakes are adults only; enjoy responsibly!

Shamrock Shakes

1 ounce Irish cream Liqueur
1 ounce Crème de Menthe
1/2 ounce white Crème de cacao
2 to 3 scoops vanilla ice cream

Whipped Cream, for garnish

Mini chocolate chips, for garnish

Place all ingredients, except garnishes, into a blender and mix until creamy. Depending upon the size of your ice cream scoop, you may need to add a bit more ice cream. Serve in small glasses topped with a spritz of whipped cream and some mini chocolate chips. Makes 2.

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This post is linked to:

Feathered Nest Friday
Funtastic Friday
Best of the Weekend
Pink Saturday

Grace at Home

Friday at the Fire Station
Create, Bake, Grow and Gather

Share Your Style

A Bouquet of Talent

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White Russian Sorbet

When the heat is on (and, boy, is it!) it's time to cool things off with a frosty summer cocktail. It's even better when that cocktail is turned into a tasty frozen dessert.

This White Russian Sorbet is a breeze to make. The flavors explode in your mouth, leaving you wanting more...much more. Sorbets are made with just a touch of cream, so you are in for a major brain freeze if you try to eat it too fast, but this is really for the best, because you are going to want to savor every luscious spoonful. Plain old vodka works just as well, but treat yourself to the whipped cream variety. It does amazing things to drinks and desserts!

Slightly adapted from epicurious.com, this adults only dessert looks especially pretty when served in punch cups.

 White Russian Sorbet

1-3/4 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
3-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons Whipped Cream vodka
3 Tablespoons Kahlúa

Stir water and sugar in heavy medium sauce pan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Add espresso powder and stir to dissolve. Pour into medium bowl. Whisk in corn syrup, whipping cream, vodka, and Kahlúa. Refrigerate mixture until cold, about 2 hours.

Transfer sorbet mixture to ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to container; cover, and freeze until firm, about 2 hours, but overnight is best. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)

Freeze 4 coffee cups for 30 minutes. Scoop sorbet into frozen cups. Garnish with coffee beans and serve immediately.

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This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Create It Thursday

The DIY Collective

Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Friday Frenzy

Pomegranate Gelato

This delicious gelato came into being thanks to a salmon fillet.

Let me explain.

Last year Mr. O-P, our then resident fish cooker, got it into his head that he wanted to make salmon wrapped in cedar papers and topped with a pomegranate sauce. As he is notoriously difficult to shop for around holiday time, I put the bug in dad's ear that some cedar wraps and bottle of PAMA liqueur might be an appropriate gift. Not one to pass up a sale, when dad found the PAMA at a good price, instead of buying one bottle, he bought two. That is a lot of pomegranate liqueur! Fast forward to yesterday when, yet again, I was looking for a place to move these taller-than-the-shelf, top-heavy bottles so as not to be in my way. In desperation, I decided to give it a google and see if I could find an appealing recipe that was quick and easy. Enter the gelato recipe that I found on epicurious.com. I was a bit short of heavy cream and only had an 8-ounce bottle of pomegranate juice (for yet another of the mister's salmon recipes), so made a few adaptations that are reflected below. It was heavenly! I say was because it is now just a memory. Even the mister, a vanilla (I call it dull-nilla) ice cream purist gobbled it down and asked for more. As the liqueur is stirred in after the cooking, it is not for the kids, so don't feel guilty when you don't share. Just be thankful, and enjoy!

Pomegranate Gelato

Adapted from a recipe on epicurious.com

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 8-ounce bottle pomegranate juice

1/2 cup pomegranate liqueur such as PAMA

1 teaspoon fresh Meyer lemon juice

Special equipment: an ice cream maker

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, until the cornstarch is fully incorporated and the mixture looks powdery. Do this, and you will not have any lumps.

Slowly pour in milk and cream while continuing to whisk, doing so until well blended. Pour mixture into a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan.

 Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally, then boil, whisking, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

Transfer to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold, 1-2 hours.

Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

Soften gelato slightly in refrigerator, about 20 minutes, before serving.

Cook's notes:

• Cream mixture (before churning) can be chilled, covered, up to 1 day ahead.
• Gelato keeps 1 week. (This made me laugh.)

This post is linked to:

Metamorphosis Monday  
Amaze Me Monday