The Dessert Blog

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Molten chocolate cake? I think not.

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:45:00 +0000

Have you ever had a really great molten chocolate cake? If you have, then you know that it is typically a moist, individually-portioned cake that is deliberately underbaked so that the middle gets hot and gooey but doesn't set. Thus, when you cut into it, the "molten" chocolate in the center oozes out, mixing with the cake into a rich, tasty feast.

When I ordered a molten chocolate cake at Bugaboo Creek Steak House, I didn't expect it to be great, but I did expect it to be decent. Unfortunately, the dessert failed to live up to even this modest expectation. Rather than a rich cake with a gooey center, I received a dry cake with little taste, topped with hot fudge sauce and accompanied by a scoop of ice cream with fake vanilla flavor. The fudge sauce actually wasn't bad, and if there had been more of it, it might have better masked the lousy cake, but there wasn't enough sauce to get a decent sauce-to-cake ratio in each bite.

This is the third time I've had a disappointing dessert at Bugaboo Creek, so it's probably the last time. If it weren't conveniently located halfway between our house and that of our friends with small children, I'm not even sure I'd go back.

Nearly perfect apple crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:47:00 +0000

When autumn comes around, one of my favorite activities is to pick (or sometimes just buy) a bunch of local apples and turn them into dessert. And, while I appreciate a broad range of apple desserts, one of my favorites is apple crisp.

This fall, I discovered an apple crisp recipe by Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa). I made it twice, the first time pretty much following the recipe exactly except for a slight increase in apples to accommodate a different size pan. The topping was outstanding, but the filling was a bit mushy and too citrusy. The second time, I reduced the citrus and used half Granny Smith apples and half Gala, decreasing the sugar slightly due to the sweetness of the Galas. This improved the flavor of the filling, and though it was one of the best apple crisps I've ever eaten, the filling was still too soft. The next time, I'll try baking at a higher temperature for less time and/or cutting the baking time and broiling the top, to try to keep the apples a bit more together while still browning the crisp.

For those that want to try the recipe, the changes I made were as follows:

Use half tart, crisp apples (e.g., Granny Smith) and half sweet, crisp apples (e.g., Gala)
Use only the zest of half an orange (no lemon zest)
Use only 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (no orange juice)
Decrease sugar to 3/8 cup
Decrease nutmeg to 1/2 teaspoon (mainly this is because I don't care for nutmeg)
Bake in 13x9 rectangular baking dish

The perfect mass-produced cookie

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I recently saw someplace that the Oreo is America's favorite cookie. While I appreciate the concept of the sandwich cookie, I've always preferred the vanilla cookie of Vienna Fingers or Golden Oreos and the superior cream-to-cookie ratio of Double Stuff Oreo. Unfortunately, you couldn't combine the best of both worlds... until now.

Nabisco recently introduced the Golden Double Stuff Oreo. This may be the perfect mass-produced cookie. The thick creamy center perfectly complements the cookie crunch, precluding the need to carefully take the sandwich apart and suffer through the creamless cookie half just so you can get to the half with the cream.

A tasty cell phone

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:28:00 +0000

As a tech geek, I read a lot about the latest smart phones, like the iPhone and the new Verizon Droid. I guess I'm a bit slow, though, as it took me until this week to realize that Google's Android operating system, which powers several smart phones (including the Droid), names each version of the OS after various desserts: cupcake, donut, and éclair so far. Kudos to the Android team for choosing such a delectable naming scheme.

Meanwhile, it's Halloween and the final day of National Dessert Month, so I'm looking forward to an evening of handing out candy (perhaps sneaking ~~all the~~ a few candy corns for myself) and baking apple crisp.

Aida's cinnamon roll bread pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:23:00 +0000

With some leftover Martin's potato rolls and some fresh-from-the-orchard apples, I decided to make some bread pudding this weekend. I'd tried Aida Mollenkamp's cinnamon roll bread pudding recipe once before, and while not perfect, I thought I might be able to tweak it to my satisfaction. I eliminated the nuts, decreased the amount of amaretto, and added some sliced apples. I also found that the pudding was set firm (probably more firm than many people would like) before it started to brown (after around 55 minutes of baking), so I took it out at that point.

The verdict? My wife and I felt that the amaretto flavor, while no longer overpowering like the first time I made it, was unnecessary, and that the texture didn't come out quite right. Next time, I think I'll have to try a different recipe. If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

National Dessert Day

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:44:00 +0000

No one seems to know why, but ~~today is apparently National Dessert Day~~ this month is National Dessert Month and the 14th is National Dessert Day. I guess this means I'll have to eat a different dessert each day for the whole month. Sigh. I hate when that happens.

In a nice display of fortuitous timing, my friend who works in the alumni office at Tufts invited me to an event tonight that will have desserts provided by the Danish Pastry House, which from my experience has delectable baked goods.

Blueberry muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:37:00 +0000

For a co-worker's birthday, I made the Cook's Illustrated blueberry muffin recipe. The muffins looked beautiful and were very good, though still not quite as good as a great bakery muffin. The batter was a little less sweet than I'm used to, and the texture a bit more fluffy/creamy. I also made a note to add a few more blueberries next time--maybe a full pint instead of 1.5 cups. Still, they were quite good for homemade, and they were a big hit at the office.

Botan Rice Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:22:00 +0000

I first discovered Botan Rice Candy at Epcot Center as a kid. I then didn't see it again for years, until I came across it in an Asian grocery store in Cambridge. I've since seen it off and on, and I usually buy a pack or two when I do see it, as I did at World Market in Evanston during my recent trip to Chicago.

Botan Rice Candy is a Japanese candy with a soft, chewy texture similar to that of kids' bubble gums like Bubbalicious or Hubba Bubba. Except, of course, it's not gum, so it melts in your mouth after a few chews. The flavor is citrusy and sweet, though not excessively. It also has the added fun of a rice paper wrapper that looks like plastic or cellophane but dissolves quickly in your mouth. (Note: This is inside the actual plastic wrapper on each piece.) And, it comes with a free children's sticker. Who could ask for more?

Oreo and peppermint frappe

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:19:00 +0000

For those who aren't from the Boston area, I should mention that what the rest of the U.S. calls a milkshake, we call a frappe. (Here, a milkshake is milk and syrup, blended or shaken until frothy.)

Anyway, at the local ice cream shop, Colleen's, they have Brigham's ice cream (a local brand that's quite good for packaged ice cream). Two of my favorite flavors are Oreo and Peppermint Stick. Since chocolate and peppermint go together nicely, I decided one day to try the two flavors together in a frappe. Since then, if I'm at Colleen's and in the mood for a frappe, it's the one I always order. Rich, creamy, chocolaty-minty goodness that you can drink with a straw (though sometimes chunks of Oreo block it up). Summertime refreshment at its best.

Macapuno ensaymada

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:48:00 +0000

Today, I had a chance to taste a dessert from the Philippines, a sweet roll with coconut filling called macapuno ensaymada. It's a little hard to describe, but basically, imagine a sweet challah or other egg bread filled with pieces of coconut in some sort of gelatinous suspension. It tasted better than it sounds, although not as good as I'd hoped. I found the treat in a Filipino grocery store next door to a Filipino restaurant down in Braintree or Quincy. A Filipino friend took us down there on our way to Ikea.

Although it was interesting to try the macapuno, I was happier with the other item I purchased, Yan Yan, which I've had many times before and never tire of. Insert crunchy stick in creamy chocolate, remove, insert into mouth, enjoy.

Fried Ice Cream from the supermarket

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:49:00 +0000

Turkey Hill has another limited edition flavor to enjoy: Fried Ice Cream. It's cinnamon ice cream with a caramel-like swirl and pieces of "tostada." The tostada pieces are more chewy than crispy, but the overall effect works, creating something that both simulates the flavor of the Tex-Mex dessert and is just generally yummy.

Black-and-whites at Lyndell's

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:12:00 +0000

Lyndell's Bakery, a rare local "standard" bakery in nearby Somerville, has some of the best cupcakes and black-and-whites around. Their version of the black-and-white is basically a flattened cupcake with yellow cake and half white frosting, half chocolate. I actually prefer the variety that is all white, as I've always objected to mixing non-chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and vice versa. In any case, though, Lyndell's products are excellent. The frosting is satisfyingly sweet, without the over-rich fattiness found at some bakeries. The cake is moist but not too dense. And, unlike the cupcakes, the black-and-whites (and all-whites) are flat enough to fit in your mouth. :)

Southern Lemon Pie Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Turkey Hill has a limited edition (unfortunately) flavor called Southern Lemon Pie Ice Cream: lemon ice cream plus shortbread pieces and marshmallow swirl (resembles meringue). I think lemon ice cream is an underrepresented flavor in the marketplace. Turkey Hill's lemon flavor is really tasty, and the other goodies add to the experience.

Banana nut bread

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:48:00 +0000

On Saturday, I made banana nut bread, following the recipe from Cook's Illustrated. I actually followed a variation for chocolate banana nut bread, with about 2.5 ounces of chocolate shavings in the batter and a bit less sugar to compensate, but I really didn't feel it added much. That said, it was a delicious banana bread. Moist and chewy, with a slightly crisp (but not dried-out) crust and lots of flavor.

My only gripe is that, once I let it cool all day and wrapped it in plastic wrap, the crust lost its crispness. Maybe if I had wrapped it in aluminum foil or put it in a paper bag like a bakery bread, it would have maintained the consistency. It still tasted great this morning, though, and I think most people expect the outside of a banana bread to be soft, anyway.

Molten Chocolate at Finale

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:45:00 +0000

It's hard to believe I've had The Dessert Blog for so long and haven't yet mentioned Finale. For those not in the Boston area, Finale is a dessert restaurant with a few locations in and around the city. It's very high end, with $10 "plated desserts" and a large selection of dessert wines, dessert martinis, etc. There are also a few appetizers and such, in case you're too hungry for just a dessert, but really the focus is on the sweets.

Last night, I went there with my wife and a couple friends, and I ordered one of my favorites: Molten Chocolate. I've seen (and tasted) this basic idea of a chocolate cake with a warm liquid/gooey chocolate center in many restaurants, but this is by far the best version I've had. High quality chocolate, exactly the right consistency inside and out, a Valhrona chocolate sauce, and a small but high-quality scoop of gelato (coffee by default, but I substituted vanilla). Combine that with a nice glass of sherry, and you really have yourself a treat. A treat that costs $20+, mind you, but a treat nonetheless.

Cookies with creamy milk chocolate filling

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:38:00 +0000

A friend gave my wife a recipe that used to be printed on the back of Ghiradelli milk chocolate chip bags. My wife made the cookies with Nestle milk chocolate chips (the only milk chocolate ones we could find at the store), and we thought they were fabulous. Perhaps a little on the sweet side, so next time we might try semi-sweet chips for the cookies themselves and milk chocolate for the filling. We also thought about variations, like adding some peppermint extract or caramel to the filling.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Five Star Ghiradelli Cookies With Creamy Milk Chocolate Filling

1 cup oats
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag (11.5 oz.) Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips

Filling:

1 cup Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugars until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing on low speed until well combined. Mix dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by slightly rounded teaspoons onto lightly greased baking sheet. [Editor's note: I recommend parchment paper instead of greasing.] Flatten slightly. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to wire racks.

Filling: Place one cup chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave on HIGH power for 1 minute. Remove and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. If not melted, microwave on HIGH power for additional 30-second increments until smooth. Place 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream in small bowl and microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds. Gradually stir heavy whipping cream into chocolate until smooth. Spread filling on flat sides of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides against filling. Let cookies stand for 1-2 hours before eating. [Editor's note: If you can wait that long!] Makes about 24 filled cookies.

Snowflake pretzels

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:26:00 +0000

Someone at work brought in "Snowflake Pretzels" from Crate and Barrel. I can't find them on their website, but maybe they're available (probably only during the holidays) at stores.

They're white chocolate covered pretzels with white nonpareils on them. The pretzels are shaped like snowflakes. Yummy and festive!

Chocolate chessecake

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:07:00 +0000

During my work retreat at the Essex Conference Center, they served chocolate cheesecake. I'm not always a fan of mixing media, as this did with a chocolate mousse and frosting layer on top and plain cheesecake underneath. This particular one, though, really worked. It was so good, in fact, that it overshadowed the s'mores at the campfire later in the evening.

The best peanut butter cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:07:00 +0000

Cook's Illustrated does it again with another superb recipe. Their peanut butter cookies have tons of peanut flavor and offer just the right balance of crisp on the edges and chewy in the middle. I brought them into work on Tuesday, and by Wednesday people were asking me if I was going to make more.

Unfortunately, access to the recipes on their site requires a paid subscription, and it would be a copyright violation for me to post the recipe. I suggest, though, either getting the online subscription or picking up a copy of The New Best Recipe, which is the updated version of their original cookbook. (The magazine subscription and some of their other books are worthwhile, too, with the web site probably the best value.)

Linda's fudge cake @ The Cheesecake Factory

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Sat, 26 May 2007 01:10:00 +0000

The Cheesecake Factory is a chain restaurant known for (what else?) its dozens of varieties of cheesecake. Some may not know, however, that their best dessert (imho) is not, in fact, a cheesecake, but rather Linda's Fudge Cake. The enormous slab of chocolate layer cake is dense and moist, with plenty of fudge frosting and chocolate sprinkles (or "jimmies" here in Boston) along the outside. Served with a serious helping of whipped cream, even this dessert fanatic can't usually finish it in one sitting. (Fortunately, it travels well.)

For the person who envies the cake eater but is trying to watch his/her weight, the Goblet of Strawberries is a nice (if a bit pricey) lower-calorie dessert. Lots of giant strawberries in a goblet served with whipped cream for dipping.

Chex Mix for the sweet tooth

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Thu, 24 May 2007 23:59:00 +0000

A few years ago, I was introduced to Honey Nut Chex Mix. Ever since, I've tried to avoid the sweet salty temptation, as I have a hard time stopping once I start chowing down. When my coworker discovered Chocolate Chex Mix - Turtle, I was really in trouble, as it is even sweeter and yummier than the Honey Nut flavor. There's just something about that sweet-n-salty, crisp-n-crunchy combination that I can't resist.

Ultra-decadent ice cream

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:41:00 +0000

Speaking of Haagen-Dazs, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle, a flavor in their new, ultra-high-fat, ultra-expensive Reserve line. Ginger-infused sesame brittle, cream-soaked toasted coconut... how could it be bad? I found this was a good flavor for a one-bite-at-a-time snack. (I also had some Brigham's Peppermint Stick on hand for when I wanted more than a bite.)

A tale of two puddings

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:35:00 +0000

Yesterday at the supermarket, I saw a new product, Kozy Shack banana pudding in small, snack size containers. I was a bit skeptical about it, as it was made with 1% milk, but I love banana pudding, so I figured I'd try it. Big mistake. With a flavor like banana Runts and a gelatinous consistency, it didn't even make it from the grocery bag to the fridge (I had to taste test it right away, naturally).

In contrast, the recently re-released Haagen-Dazs flavor, Sticky Toffee Pudding, which I also picked up, is a winner. If you like bread pudding, and you don't mind a particularly sweet ice cream, I certainly recommend checking it out.

Edwards Turtle Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Maxim) — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:04:00 +0000

I brought my brownies to a party the other night and, as usual, they were a big hit. Less of a hit, but still delicious (much to my surprise) was a supermarket-bought pie. Edwards Turtle Pie comes frozen and is as simple as thaw and eat. I've always been a sucker for the original chocolate-caramel-pecan Turtles, but I've often found pies and other desserts based upon them to be a bit disappointing. So, when I saw the pre-fab pie coming out of the box, I was pretty skeptical. Boy was I surprised by the intense caramel flavor, the decent chocolate cookie crust, and the overall yumalicious flavor. This would be a great thing to just throw in the freezer and keep there for unexpected company.