Kind of like my husband :)

This cake was made with love to celebrate him on his birthday!

Black Forest Cake is deep dark chocolate cake, brushed with cherry liqueur simple syrup, and layered with lightly sweetened whipped cream and macerated fresh cherries.

I delivered one to a client recently and she sent me a message “Thank you for the most stunning and delicious cake I have EVER had!”

It’s a show stopper that’s quite easy to pull off!

From the moment I first saw this cake from Liv for Cake I knew I had to recreate it. Olivia includes so many valuable tips, including how to make this super fun chocolate bark! I also took her advice and ordered cake pan strips to help prevent my cakes from doming.

Black Forest Cake Components

Let’s break down these components one by one!

The Simple Syrup

First the simple syrup! In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup Kirsch (a clear colorless cherry brandy). You can exclude the Kirsch if you have an aversion to it.

The Cherries

Then on to the cherries! I personally think fresh cherries are what make this cake. Therefore, if you cannot locate them at your local market, pick another cake. I mean, sure you could use the other cherries…the bright red syrupy kind that come in a jar. But….

Begin with two pounds of fresh cherries. Select the 12 most beautiful ones, stems in tact, for decoration. Then remove the stems and pits from the remaining cherries, cut them in half, and place in a bowl.

Cover with the cooled simple syrup and refrigerate until ready to use. Then drain the cherries reserving the simple syrup.

The Cake

Black Forest Cake is rich but not overly sweet. You can make the cake from scratch with fairly common pantry ingredients.

Or you can doctor up a boxed devils food cake mix. Not traditional, but works in a pinch. I have made it both ways and it really comes down to your comfort level. Here are some of my favorite ways to elevate a boxed cake mix:

• Replace the oil with melted butter
• Replace the water with another liquid like buttermilk or coffee
• Add an additional egg
• For chocolate cake, add a packet of espresso powder
• For vanilla cake, add a teaspoon of vanilla

The Whipped Cream Frosting

Cold whipping cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla are beaten to stiff peaks. I pop my metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer along with the cream for about 10 minutes.

I used 4 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream, 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, and 1 teaspoon clear vanilla.

The result is a lovely whipped cream that’s not too sweet but oh so light and fluffy.

The Chocolate Bark

If there’s one element of this cake that sold me it was the chocolate bark. And trust me, a 24-inch of parchment paper and a bag of melted chocolate discs, and a little freezer space and you too can make chocolate bark!!

I love these melting wafers from Ghirardelli!

Simply melt the chocolate then using an offset spatula spread it in a thin layer on a long piece of parchment paper. Then roll the parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. When ready to decorate, unroll the chocolate and press the shards into the sides of the cake. Any remaining chocolate pieces can be crushed and sprinkled on top of the cake.

As I look back at the family birthday cakes I’ve made with love…..I’ve got a thing for adding decorations to the sides. I’m certain it has a lot to do with covering up my less than perfect cake-frosting skills. But that’s between you and me!

Last year I wrapped Nick’s Peppermint Mocha Cake in chocolate dipped peppermint sticks.

The year before was Tiramisu Cake wrapped in ladies fingers. :)

The Cake Assembly

For this cake I used three 8-inch cake pans. You could certainly do two 9-inch and cut the cakes in half.

To assemble, place the first cake layer on your cake stand or plate. Using a pastry brush, brush the cake with the cherry simple syrup that you’ve drained off the cherries. I like to add 2 to 3 light layers of syrup so that it has a chance to soak in.

Then add a generous layer of whipped cream – about 1 cup, spread evenly. Next top with the sliced cherry pieces – about 1 cup. Add your next cake layer and repeat the process, finishing with your last cake layer. Then frost the outside of the cake – reserving about 1 cup of whipped cream for decorating.

I’ve not done a lot of piping, so I was amazed at how beautiful these whipped cream rosettes turned out. I used a disposable pastry bag with a piping tip to create 12 rosettes. Remember those 12 pristine cherries we reserved – now is their time to shine!

Because this Black Forest Cake has a true whipped cream frosting, it will need to remain refrigerated before serving and should be enjoyed within a day or two of assembly.

It’s become an annual tradition to go out to dinner for Nick’s birthday. We bring the cake with us and whatever we don’t finish goes to the restaurant staff! They LOVE it!

It’s also the perfect opportunity for an annual family photo! Happy Holidays from our family to yours. May you have peace, love and happiness in the New Year! And maybe a Black Forest Cake too!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake is deep dark chocolate cake, brushed with cherry liquor simple syrup, and layered with lightly sweetened whipped cream and macerated fresh cherries.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Olivia with Liv for Cake

Ingredients

For the Cherry Liqueur Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup Kirsch cherry liqueur

For the Cherries

• 2 pounds fresh cherries divided

For the Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla

For the Chocolate Bark

• 10 ounces dark chocolate chopped

For the Whipped Cream Frosting

• 4 cups heavy whipping cream very cold
• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar sifted
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla optional

Instructions

For the Cherry Liqueur Simple Syrup

• Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil then remove from heat. Stir in cherry liqueur and allow to cool completely.

For the Fresh Cherries

• Select the 12 prettiest cherries with stems and set aside. Remove stems and pits from remaining cherries and cut in half. Place in a bowl and pour chilled simple syrup over top. Refrigerate until ready to assemble. Drain cherries, reserving syrup for brushing cake layers during assembly.

For the Chocolate Cake

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 3 8-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla – then slowly whisk in hot water.
• Add dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Stir to combine. Add buttermilk/egg mixture and mix on medium for 2-3 minutes. Scraping down sides once.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, the turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

For the Chocolate Bark

• In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in 15 second increments. Lay out a 24" long piece of parchment paper. Pour chocolate onto parchment paper and spread in a thin layer using an offset spatula. Roll the parchment paper from the short side and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

For the Whipped Cream Frosting

• Chill metal bowl and whisk for 10 minutes. Whip heavy cream, confectioners sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

For Assembly

• Place first cake layer on cake plate. Brush generously with reserved cherry simple syrup. Spread 1 cup of whipped cream, topped with 1 cup of sliced cherries. Top with next cake layer and repeat with simple syrup, whipped cream and cherries. Add final cake layer and frost the outside of the cake, reserving about 1 cup to make piped rosettes.
• Unroll chilled chocolate bark and arrange pieces around the sides of the cake. Crush any unused bark and sprinkle on top of cake.
• Using a pastry bag with a piping tip, make 12 whipped cream rosettes around the top of the cake. Place a whole fresh cherry onto each rosette. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The post Black Forest Cake {and a special celebration} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I started a tradition last year where I would ask a friend to select a chocolate recipe, anything they like, that I would then recreate and deliver to them to Share the Love.  I call these Adventures in Chocolate. 

This go around I chose my friend & co-worker Jennica.  She actually squealed with excitment and headed straight to my Adventures in Chocolate Pinterest Board where she selected this fabulous Ferrero Rocher Cake recipe by Mom’s Dish.

The Cake

This is not your typical cake recipe.  The dry ingredients for the ‘cake’ portion consist mostly of ground hazelnuts which yielded a thin dense cake.  No worries, once you bisect the cake and slather it with chocolate Nutella buttercream and crushed vanilla cream wafers you’ll realize how brilliant this recipe is.  Think of a Ferrero Rocher candy.  Crispy outside layer, smooth chocolate truffle center with hazelnut inside.  This cake has all those elements covered.

Office Shenanigans

This past week was Secret Santa Week at the office.  On day one, I figured out my Santa was Mark.  His clues suggested he was a new member of our team (and new admirer of Lemony Thyme), who liked to cook, with a spouse who was even more talented in the kitchen.  Mark is after all the new guy who made the sinfully delicious Rum Cakes for our Halloween Party.  The very Rum Cakes that inspired my Dark Chocolate Rum Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream.  Mark is also the guy who brought the Rumpkin Pies to our Thanksgiving Luncheon and who’s wife is known to make show stopping confections.

My Santa’s writing style was pithy and each day my typed letter was more entertaining than the day before.  And the gifts couldn’t be more Me (my gut was Santa’s spouse may have had a hand in this as each was presented in a mason jar complete with burlap and ribbon).  The gift that sealed the deal was his European Cookie Fudge.  Melt in your mouth amazing (recipe coming soon).  So with all this joy & happiness being spread, when my Santa requested a turn at this Adventures in Chocolate gig, I gladly passed the torch from Jennica to Mark.

I had been so confident and a bit cocky all week leading up to the big reveal on Friday that when it was my turn to guess my Secret Santa… “piece of cake it’s Mark.”  Only Mark’s response was “nope, not me.”  WHAT?!!! The room erupted in laughter and I’ve been told that the look of disbelief on my face was priceless.  Yeah well Mark was sooo not my Santa.  Mark was Jennica’s Santa and a very talented artist may I add.

If not Mark, then who?

The one person I spend more time with each day than anyone else had completely bafoozled me.  Yes, Bethany got me good.  I’ll be sharing HER amazing European Cookie Fudge recipe and a little more about our friendship in a separate post.

For now we have Jennica to thank for choosing Ferrero Rocher Cake as her Adventure in Chocolate.  Even after sharing it with most everyone in the office she managed to have just enough left to take home to enjoy quietly.

All my best,
xo Libby

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Ferrero Rocher Cake

Author Mom’s Dish

Ingredients

For the cake…

• 5 large eggs
• 6 Tbl. sugar
• 1 3/4 cups ground hazelnuts
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 2 Tbl. cocoa power
• 2 tsp. baking powder

For the Nutella buttercream…

• 2 sticks butter room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 cup crushed vanilla cream wafers
• 12 Ferrero Rocher Candy
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts chopped

Instructions

For the cake…

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix with ground nuts.
• Beat eggs with sugar until they are light and fluffy and triple in volume.
• Gently fold dry ingredients by thirds into wet. Don’t over mix. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely in pan before removing sides.

For the Nutella buttercream…

• Melt the chocolate in the microwave, then allow to cool to room temperature. Beat chocolate with butter and Nutella.

To assemble…

• Using a long sharp knife, slice cake into two layers. Spread buttercream and crushed wafers between layers. Frost edges and top of cake with remaining buttercream.
• Press chopped hazelnuts onto sides of cake. Cut Ferrero Rocher candies in half and place around the edge of cake. Chill.
• Before serving remove from the refrigerator to allow the buttercream to soften.

Notes

This recipe is not affiliated with the Ferrero Company.

This post is in no way related to or sponsored by the Ferrero Company.  I purchased the candy myself as I do every year during the holiday season :)

The post Ferrero Rocher Cake appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Coconut Macaroons.  Five simple ingredients that will delight an entire office.  This I know.  I cookie tray tested them on my work family and they passed with flying colors.  We will definitely include them in this year’s holiday baking and you should too.

As a life long lover of those classic ‘coconut’ candy bars (you know the ones “sometimes you feel like a nut, sometime you don’t”) I think you’ll really enjoy these Coconut Macaroons.

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Coconut Macaroons

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 18

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 14- ounce pkg. sweetened coconut flakes
• 6 Tbl. flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 8- ounce pkg. semi-sweet baking chocolate squares optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix coconut, flour, and sugar. Stir in egg whites and almond extract.
• Using a tablespoon scoop 36 balls of coconut mixture and place 2 inches apart on parchment lined sheets.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from sheets and cool completely on wire racks.
• If dipping in chocolate, melt chocolate squares in microwave stirring every 30 seconds. Dip cooled macaroons in chocolate and return to parchment lined sheet. Chill in refrigerator until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.

The post Coconut Macaroons appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I really wanted to do something nice for my work family.  It has been beyond busy and really hot and down right trying for us.  Yet, we continue to rally together to get it done.  I decided on an afternoon sweet treat of Peanut Butter Truffles and Nutella Swirled Chocolate Chip Blondies.

Forgive me for the raw photos below, but I wanted to illustrate just how easy it is to make 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Truffles.  You really have no excuse not to Share the Love with your team.  Just sayin’.

After today, we’ve declared that these Peanut Butter Truffles will be included in our Holiday Cookie shipments to customers.  Because that’s what sets us apart from our competition.  Homemade cookies.  Well that and kick butt customer service!!

I, and my entire team give credit to Pint-Sized Treasures for this awesome recipe!

The post Peanut Butter Truffles {4-Ingredients} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chocolate Tea Bark.  I fell in love with it’s beauty.  Floral and herb tones cast upon a canvas of chocolate.  Those who sip tea slowly would enjoy it’s romantic simplicity.

I chose two teas for their beautiful flavor and color blends.  Rosemary Tangerine with zest of citrus, woody rosemary thistle and a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon.  Peach Rhubarb Preserve with fleck of dried fruit, white tea leaves, and fragrant floral hibiscus.

The process is simple.  Melt your chocolate of choice, I chose a bittersweet chocolate, then last minute decided to also melt white chocolate bits for a nice contrast.

Spread melted chocolate onto parchment lined baking sheets in thin layers, using an offset spatula.  Immediately sprinkle with tea and sea salt.  Allow to set at room temperature until firm.  Once set break into pieces and store in an air tight container.

Serving Chocolate Tea Bark at a tea party is a must.  Giving chocolate tea bark as a hostess gift is a lovely and sweet gesture.

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Chocolate Tea Bark

Chocolate Tea Bark is the perfect addition to an afternoon tea party and makes a lovely hostess.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces chocolate bittersweet, semi-sweet, or white
• 1/4 cup floral tea leaves
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt optional

Instructions

• Melt chocolate and spread in a thin layer on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with tea and salt. Set aside until firm.
• Break into pieces and store in an air tight container.

The post Chocolate Tea Bark appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Mayonnaise is after all eggs and oil, two key ingredients in chocolate cake.  This cake is so moist and oh so chocolatey, it’s become our family’s favorite.

The Cake

In addition to the mayonnaise, I also added some nice strong coffee to the batter.  Coffee has a special way of intensifying the flavor of chocolate.  And because I was making this cake for a fellow chocoholic (and I mean this girl’s got it bad), I added the ‘triple’ element of chocolate chunks to the cake batter.

Admittedly, at the time I shared this recipe, I was a novice baker….with a sense of adventure.  We all loved finding the chocolate chunk surprises, but it made slicing this cake a bit of a challenge.  And yes, I overfilled the pans…which provided B and I the most delightful nibbles.

One baking tip I have learned is how to line a cake pan with parchment paper.  View HERE.

Once the cakes had cooled, I trimmed them (shouldn’t be necessary unless you too overfill your pans), then wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer while I prepared the Cream Cheese Toffee Filling and the Chocolate Buttercream and Caramel Frostings.

I thought my Triple Chocolate Triple Layer Mayonnaise Cake may be a bit over the top.  Until I delivered it to my girl Wendy who let out a squeal of delight.  I just love to {Share the Love}.  She ‘carved’ herself a piece (remember those chocolate chunks) and proceeded to turn the knife over to the crowd who had gathered around.  We took a vote and decided cream cheese toffee filling, chocolate buttercream, caramel drizzle, and toffee bits were just the right combination :) Never underestimate the joy an Adventure in Chocolate can bring.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Triple Chocolate Triple Layer Mayonnaise Cake {Share the Love}

Servings 10

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the cakes…

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup full fat mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup strong coffee
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks optional

For the cream cheese toffee filling…

• 1 stick of butter room temperature
• 1 8- ounce block cream cheese room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

For the chocolate buttercream frosting…

• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 stick butter softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4- ounces unsweetened chocolate melted & cooled
• 3-4 Tbl. milk

For the caramel drizzle…

• 1 14- ounce bag Kraft caramels unwrapped
• 1/4 cup milk
• shaved semi-sweet chocolate and toffee bits to sprinkle on top

Instructions

For the cakes…

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch or 3 7-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper (see link in post). Reserve.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until they turn a pale yellow. Add in sugar and beat until well combined. Add in mayonnaise, coffee, and vanilla and beat until mixture is well blended.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing well between additions. Stir in chocolate chunks.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans or until pans are half full. Do not overfill. Bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans on wire racks for 30 minutes. Then remove from pans and allow to cool until just slightly warm. Wrap warm cakes in plastic wrap and place in freezer while you prepare the cream cheese toffee bit filling and the buttercream & caramel frosting.

For the cream cheese toffee filling…

• Beat together butter, cream cheese and vanilla until creamy. Slowly beat in confectioners sugar until well combined. Stir in toffee bits. Spoon 1/2 of mixture on top of one cake layer and spread evenly. Top with second cake and top with remaining filling then top with final cake layer.

For the chocolate buttercream frosting…

• Beat confectioners sugar and butter until well combined. Add in vanilla and cooled melted chocolate and stir until combined. Mixture will be thick. Gradually add in milk until desired consistency is reached. Lightly frost all edges of cake. If cake is sticking to frosting, chill before adding second layer. If frosting becomes too thick add another tablespoon of milk. Completely frost sides and top of cake.

For the caramel drizzle…

• Place unwrapped caramels in microwave safe bowl. Add milk and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute; stir. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Spoon onto top of cake. Tip cake slightly to encourage run off.
• Sprinkle top with shaved chocolate and toffee bits.

The post Triple Chocolate Triple Layer Mayonnaise Cake {Share the Love} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Valentine “Cookie Cutter” Chocolate Bark {Share the Love}.

I’ve joined together with a wonderful…and ‘spunky’ group of bloggers to celebrate “Love & Food” in February.  I’m Day #4, following these three gorgeous recipes:

Limoncello Cream Dream Cake ~ Crumbs in my Mustachio. 

Nutella Frangelico Cheesecake ~ Tampa Cake Girl.

Cherry Blossom Chocolates ~ Hun, What’s for Dinner?

I was looking for a fun & easy Valentine recipe that could also help {Share the Love} with some special people in my life.

I’m a bit smitten with cookie cutters.  I have a select few that are vintage, complete with hints of rust…that I want to tie a string to and hang from various knobs and such in my kitchen.  I know. I know.  It’s not really a decorator’s dream, but I’m finding the older I get (so cliché to say from such a spring chicken) I’m becoming increasingly sentimental.  Give me a minute while I collect myself :)

I decided on Cookie Cutter Chocolate Bark in honor of the upcoming holiday (not technically a ‘holiday’ but certainly another excuse for foodies like me to talk about… food).  I was able to find inexpensive heart shaped cookie cutters at Walmart (4 for $1.97) along with a couple types of sprinkles and Valentine goodie bags.

Wrap the bottom of each cookie cutter in tin foil and then give them a coating of cooking spray.  For the first layer, melt 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and pour it into each heart, filling almost half way.  Then refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Next comes a layer of melted white chocolate, allow to set for a minute or two before adding some decorations.  Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate go very nicely with Cookie Cutter Chocolate Bark if I might say so myself.

Once the chocolate sets completely, bag the Chocolate Bark in Valentine goodie bags or wrap in cellophane.  You can recycle some of the cookie cutters to make a second batch while bagging others still set in the cookie cutters.  Either way, your special someone(s) will love these sweet treats.

Check back next week for four more delicious recipes as our “Love & Food” celebration continues.

Chocolate Pound Cake ~ Moore or Less Cooking Blog

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge ~ Baking in a Tornado

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“Cookie Cutter” Chocolate Bark {Share the Love}

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 6 cookie cutters
• 8- ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 8- ounces white chocolate
• colored sprinkles for decoration
• strawberries for dipping optional
• goodie bags or cellophane for gift wrapping

Instructions

• Wrap bottom of each cookie cutter in tin foil, then lightly coat with cooking spray. Place on a shallow baking sheet.
• Melt semi-sweet chocolate according to package instructions and pour into each cookie cutter, filling about half way. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Melt white chocolate according to package instructions and pour into each cookie cutter. Allow to set for 1-2 minutes, then decorate as you choose. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until completely set.
• Either gently push chocolate bark out of cookie cutter to gift wrap or gift chocolate in the cookie cutters.

The post “Cookie Cutter” Chocolate Bark {Share the Love} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I love, love, love English Toffee.  I printed this recipe from Ghirardelli years ago and just now got up the courage to try my hand at ‘confection’ making.  According to the red line on my new candy thermometer, I’ll be in the confection stage.  I can do this!

Butter, sugar, water and salt go into a heavy bottom pot.  The mixture is cooked over medium heat until it reaches the ‘Hard Crack’ stage.  Having no idea how long this would take I kept a close watch, stirring occasionally.  Minutes passed and the sugar mixture came to a nice rolling boil.  So I kept stirring, watching the hand on the thermometer in anticipation.  Much to my dismay the temp. was barely increasing, yet after about 15 minutes my sugar mixture began to turn a dark brown.  I bailed out on the thermometer and poured the mixture onto my prepared pan.  While I waited for it to cool, I did a little ‘toffee research’ and came upon this article from Joy of Baking.  Key words in bold that stood out…. “without stirring.”   Seems I was tricking my thermometer into thinking my mixture was cooler than it was.

The pan on the right, batch #1….essence of burnt sugar.  Lesson learned.  After adjusting my method and ‘not stirring’ my second batch, the pan on the left was perfect.

Once the toffee has cooled to room temperature, melted chocolate and a generous sprinkle of chopped walnuts are spread on top.  It was then that I proclaimed “Babe, come quick…I think I just made English Toffee.”

I delivered the toffee to work today to Share the Love with our customers.  It’s become a tradition each year to send as many customers as possible a tin of home baked treats from all of us.

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English Toffee {Share the Love}

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author lightly adapted from Ghirardelli Chocolates

Ingredients

• 8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 3/4 cup walnuts finely chopped
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbl. water
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the chopped walnuts on a baking sheet for 6-8 minutes. Reserve.
• Line a baking sheet with heavy foil, folded with a 1-inch high edge. Reserve.
• In a heavy bottom saucepan, cook the butter, sugar, water and salt over medium heat until the temperature reaches 305 degrees (hard-crack stage), without stirring. This will take about 15 minutes. If the sugar mixture begins browning unevenly give the pan a swirl. Keep a close eye on it once it reaches 290 degrees as the temperature will increase quickly.
• Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the mixture onto the foil lined baking sheet and allow it to spread. Cool at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Melt chocolate according to package instructions. Spread melted chocolate over cooled toffee, then sprinkle with walnuts. Let set at room temperature until the chocolate has set. Break toffee into pieces. Store covered at room temperature.

Notes

The total time required is comprised of two 45 minute resting periods.

The post English Toffee {Share the Love} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake.

I’m so excited to share that I am one of 12 bloggers who have joined together to deliver you the “12 Cakes of December.”  We’ve got a fantastic line-up, so be sure to check back daily as I add links to each new cake.

Adventures in Chocolate continues.  If there’s one thing I can count on it’s the happy faces I see when I Share the Love in the form of chocolate.  I’ve been asking friends & family for recipe inspiration.  My friend Kim (lovingly referred to as Keemy), sent me the recipe link for this cake.  I will be forever grateful.

We start with a brownie crust.  Yes, I said brownie crust.  Brilliant if you ask me.  A brownie crust baked in a springform pan.  I happen to love Betty Crocker’s Triple Chunk Brownie Mix.  Feel free to make from scratch or use your preferred mix.

Next comes a layer of chocolate ganache.  I call this the chocolate lava layer.  If there’s one tricky element to this cake it’s keeping the lava from overflowing.  I found letting the ganache cool a bit before spreading made it nice and thick.  Once the layer of ganache is set, whipped cream is folded into the remaining ganache, creating a third lighter mousse-like layer.  Are you beginning to see why this cake is so special.

As I was assembling this cake, the laws of construction came rushing to mind.  I was trying so hard to control the flow of lava when it hit me….build a dam silly.  So I quickly began forming the wall of Pirouettes.  I dipped each piece in a little mousse and then stuck it to the side of the cake.  For safe measure, I tied a piece of butcher’s twine around the wall to keep everything in place while it chilled.

How gorgeous is this Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake?  Not only is she quite photogenic, but she’s incredibly tasty!!

Once pictured I delivered her to my work family.  You see, we’re building a great big addition onto our warehouse and we’ve got the hardest working construction crew working so diligently to stay ahead of the winter weather.  It was the least we could do to show how much we appreciate them.

This cake has been contractor approved!  AND has been given the 12 Cakes of December stamp of approval! We wish you the happiest of all holiday greetings.

xo Libby

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Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake

This is a show stopper cake that can be made ahead with very little hands on cooking time.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 16

Author adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate brownie mix prepared according to package instructions (I used Betty Crocker Triple Chunk Chocolate)
• 18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking bars
• 2 cups heavy cream divided
• 6 Tbl. butter cubed
• 1 Tbl. instant coffee granules
• 3 Tbl. vanilla extract
• 18 to 20 Pirouette cookies cut in thirds (about 1 1/2-inch pieces)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Prepare brownie mix according to package instructions. Spread into prepared pan, place on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
• Place semi-sweet chocolate in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, add 1 cup cream, butter, and coffee granules. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Remove from microwave, stir in vanilla and continue to stir until smooth. Remove 1/4 cup of chocolate and reserve for garnish. Allow remaining ganache mixture to come up to room temperature, stirring occasionally. The ganache will thicken slightly making it easier to work with.
• Remove sides from springform pan. Place brownie bottom on cake plate or serving platter. Spread half ganache onto the brownie. Begin in the center and slowly work it towards the sides.
• In a small bowl, beat remaining 1 cup of cream until soft peaks form; fold into remaining ganache. Spread mousse layer over ganache. Again, add slowly beginning in the middle and spread gently. Reserve a little to dip cookie sides into.
• Gently dip cookies into remaining mousse and press against sides of cake. I tied a piece of butcher’s string around the outside of the cookies to keep them in place until the cake chilled.
• Put reserved ganache into a pastry bag and pipe onto top of cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 5 minutes before cutting.

Notes

This recipe requires 30 minutes of prep. time, 30 minutes of cooking time, and at least 4 hours to chill it completely, preferably overnight.

~ 12 Cakes of December Line Up ~

December 1st ~ Libby ~ Lemony Thyme
Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake

December 2nd ~ Lysska ~ Cooking from a SAHM
Strawberry N Cream Cake with Tea Berries

December 3rd ~ Nettie ~ Moore or Less Cooking
Coconut Tres Leches Cake

December 4th ~ Lynne ~ 365 Days of Baking & More
S’mores Cake

December 5th ~ Becca ~ Cooking with Chef Bec ~ It’s Yummi
Pomegranate Lime Bundt Cake

December 6th ~ Lorinda ~ The Rowdy Baker
Brownie Bombe ~ Ice Cream Cake

December 7th ~ Cindy ~ Hun…What’s for Dinner?
Chocolate Roll with Candy Cane Whipped Cream

December 8th ~ Joan ~ Chocolate, Chocolate and more
Eggnog Pound Cake

December 9th ~ Abby ~ Manila Spoon

December 10th ~ Karen ~ Baking in a Tornado

December 11th ~ Amy ~ Crumbs in my Mustachio

December 12th ~ Cydnee ~ Tampa Cake Girl

The post Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chocolate Lovers Pizza.

Round 3 of Adventures in Chocolate.  Week by week I’m working my way through my work family selecting someone to choose a chocolate recipe for me to make, picture, post, and deliver to them.

Jeff never passes when there are samples of chocolate being shared through the office so I knew I could count on him to select me a tasty recipe.  Not only was this Chocolate Lovers Pizza super easy to make but it was fun.  I took some liberties with the recipe and replaced maraschino cherries with Reese’s Pieces.  At Christmas, perhaps swap those with red and green M&M’s.

At Christmas Thyme I made a similar Chocolate Lovers Pizza for my nephew and topped half with red & green M&M’s and half with chopped mini-Reese’s cups.

Then I went to my local pizzeria and asked if I could buy an empty pizza box.  They got a chuckle and gave me one.

Print

Chocolate Lovers Pizza

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Adapted from Kraft Foods

Ingredients

• 1 package 8 squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
• 10 squares Baker’s Premium White Baking Chocolate divided
• 2 cups Jet-Puffed Miniature Marshmallows
• 1 cup crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup cocktail peanuts
• 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces
• 1/3 cup sweet coconut flakes
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil

Instructions

• Microwave semi-sweet chocolate and 8 squares of the white chocolate in a 2-quart microwavable bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes; stir. Microwave an additional 1 -2 minutes or until chocolates are melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Add marshmallows, cereal and peanuts; mix well.
• Spread evenly on lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan or parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with Reese’s Pieces and coconut.
• Microwave remaining 2 squares of white chocolate with oil in 1-cup microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle over pizza. Cool completely or refrigerate until firm. Store covered at room temperature.

The post Chocolate Lovers Pizza appeared first on Lemony Thyme.