Extra is Better

This recipe was a complete accident.  I was making Cookie Dough Topped Brownies and feeling over-confident in my memory of the brownie ingredients.  When I got past the step of stirring in sugar, I realized something was wrong.  The batter was much thicker than it should be.

Fortunately, I realized that my mistake was adding 50% more sugar than the recipe called for.  Rather than throw everything away at that point, I added 50% extra of every thing else.  As a result, I had an extra 9X9 pan of brownies and nothing to do with them…

Until I thought about what was in my freezer.  Did you know that buttercream stores very well in the freezer?  How about some White Chocolate Buttercream?

And then I looked again.  Did you know that mocha ganache also freezes well?  I happened to have extra from my Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache…

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Oh that is right, one rich chocolate brownie topped with not one, but two incredible toppings.

Thanks to a small mistake and leftovers from baking, I made Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream and Mocha Ganache, another delicious dessert for our Thanksgiving with Friends.

Make these.  No mistakes necessary.

Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream and Mocha Ganache

Makes 16 brownies (more if you want small pieces, brownies are very rich)

Ingredients:

Brownie (recipe from Baker’s)

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick)

1 cups sugar

1 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup all purpose flour

White Chocolate Buttercream

2 ounces baking white chocolate

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 1/2 tablespoons milk (any type is fine)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Mocha Ganache

5 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/4 cup extra-strong brewed coffee

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

Brownies

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter and chocolate in large sauce pan over low to medium heat

Stir in sugar

Stir in eggs and vanilla

Whisk in flour until smooth

Pour into a 9×9 pan lined with foil and greased or sprayed with cooking spray

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until knife comes out clean

Buttercream

While brownies are cooling, make buttercream

Combine the white chocolate and whipping cream in a medium saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring continuously

Remove from heat and stir in milk

Refrigerate for mixture for half hour

When white chocolate mixture is cool, finish making the buttercream

Beat the butter until creamy

Beat in confectioners’ sugar until butter and sugar are light and fluffy

Now beat in the cooled white chocolate mixture until buttercream is creamy and light

Spread over cooled brownies and refrigerate until buttercream hardens slightly

Ganache

While brownies with buttercream are chilling, prepare ganache

Chop up the chocolate, coarsely, and prepare extra-strong coffee

Slice up your butter and set aside

Now set up your double boiler; bring water to a simmer in medium pot over low-medium heat

Place heat-proof bowl of chocolate over the pot

Pour the coffee over your chocolate

Continuously stir until chocolate is melted and smooth

Remove bowl from heat and whisk in the butter until creamy

Then allow ganache to cool, stirring occasionally

Ganache is ready when the mixture gets nice and thick

Spread over buttercream layer

Keep brownies stored in a cool place

 

 

What would you do with extra brownie?

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A Bite-Sized Dessert You Will Love

Do you remember the sandwich cookies I served at my Thanksgiving with Friends?  Well I am finally sharing my recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache!

It was all I could do to keep the Taster from popping a dozen of them into his mouth before our party, but luckily this recipe makes  A LOT of cookies.

The cookie itself is soft and chewy.  It isn’t too sweet and acts as a light balance to the rich mocha ganache.  I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d make this ganache again.  Ever since I made that banana cake I’ve been trying to find another excuse to slather that rich mocha deliciousness onto something.  There is one more recipe coming soon that uses this ganache as well, it is THAT good!

The recipe is time consuming, it probably took me the better part of a day from start to finish.  Between baking dozens of cookies, making a ganache and sandwiching them all together, be prepared for a project.

But, they are well worth it.  One, they freeze very well so you can make them ahead of time, and two, they make so many you can find a couple of uses for them.

This cookie recipe is adapted from Chocolate Chip Cookies II in this cookbook.  Side note, if you are ever in the market for a basic cookie cookbook, this is a great one.  My dad bought it for my mom as a gift forever ago, and I had to buy a copy for myself a few years ago.

The first step for making Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache is to make your cookie dough.

The recipe calls for sifted flour

So you will actually need to sift it prior to measuring.  When a recipe says “1 cup of flour, sifted” it means you measure the flour first, then sift.  If it says “1 cup of sifted flour” it means to sift the flour, then measure it out

Sifted flour is much lighter so you will get less of it cup for cup than had you not sifted it

Combine your flour with the other dry ingredients and whisk them together then set aside

Next, combine the butter and sugars

Mix well until light and fluffy

Then add your eggs and vanilla

Combine well

Reduce the speed of your mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients

Now, since I made mini cookies, I thought mini chips were more appropriate.  Stir them into your batter

Chill your dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight

When ready to bake, scoop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough

Roll them into balls (see how small?)

And lay them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges

Notice that the cookies barely brown?

Set the cookies aside on cooling racks

While cookies are cooling, prepare your ganache (Refer to this post for step-by-step photos). Once the ganache is thick, you are ready to make your sandwiches

Although the cookies were mostly uniform in size, I lined them up in pairs to make sure each half was as close in size and shape as possible.  This made the sandwiching process go more quickly

Spread a layer of ganache onto the bottom of a cookie

Top with a second cookie and lightly press down

Repeat until all of your cookie sandwiches are complete

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache

Makes 35-40 sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Chocolate Chip Cookies II in The Search for The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

3 cups sifted flour*

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mocha Ganache**

10 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup extra-strong brewed coffee

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

Cookies

Combine sifted flour with the other dry ingredients and whisk them together;  set aside

Next, combine the butter and sugars; beat well until light and fluffy

Then add your eggs and vanilla and combine well

Reduce the speed of your mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients

Stir chocolate chips into your batter

Chill your dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight

Once ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Scoop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough and roll them into balls with the circumference of a quarter

Lay them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges; cookies will not change color much

Set the cookies aside on cooling racks

While cookies are cooling, prepare your ganache

Ganache

Make ganache while cookies are cooling

Chop up the chocolate, coarsely, and prepare extra-strong coffee

Slice up your butter and set aside

Now set up your double boiler; bring water to a simmer in medium pot over low-medium heat

Place heat-proof bowl of chocolate over the pot

Pour the coffee over your chocolate

Continuously stir until chocolate is melted and smooth

Remove bowl from heat and whisk in the butter until creamy

Then allow ganache to cool, stirring occasionally

Ganache is ready when the mixture gets nice and thick

Cookie Sandwiches

Spread a layer of ganache onto the bottom of a cookie

Top with a second cookie and lightly press down

Repeat until all of your cookie sandwiches are complete

Notes

*When a recipe says “1 cup of flour, sifted” it means you measure the flour first, then sift.  If it says “1 cup of sifted flour” it means to sift the flour, then measure it out.  So you will actually need to sift it prior to measuring.

**This is actually more than enough ganache than you will need for this recipe.  Save your extra cup or so because I have ANOTHER recipe for you to use it!

These cookies would be perfect for holiday cookie swaps.  What do you think, is this a sandwich you can get behind?

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Stand Out Dessert

I usually really like the desserts I bake.  Sometimes I love them.  And then, every once and a while, I make something new that automatically climbs to my list of top desserts.  If this cake isn’t one of those, it sure is close.  And without a doubt, I WILL be making the ganache again, and soon!

When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  Coffee and banana together?  That was a flavor combination I had yet to try but was very intrigued.  I’ll tell you right now, I was not disappointed!  Make this Banana Cake with Mocha Ganache and you will not be either.

This recipe is time consuming, but not very difficult if you have some baking experience.  I actually thought the ganache was much easier than the last time I made one (that could be because I was relaxed and not rushed, though).

This banana cake is worth trying, even if you already have a favorite go-to recipe.  The flavors are a little different with a richness from the coffee and the delicious scent of cinnamon.  This is what you need:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Spray your cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper

You then need to sift your dry ingredients; I don’t have a sifter, so I improvised!

This worked out perfectly- goes to show you that you don’t need fancy tools to make delicious desserts

Sift all of your dry ingredients together

Flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt

Then whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside

Next up, cream together the butter and sugar

Do it for a few minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy

Then add the coffee grinds and vanilla

I’m telling you, this makes an excellent addition to the banana cake

Add in your eggs, one at a time

Then add in the half the dry ingredients, banana, and sour cream, mixing between each addition

Mix in the remaining dry ingredients just until combined; don’t overbeat

Divide batter evenly between two 8 or 9-inch cake pans

Bake for ~30 minutes, or until lightly browned and a knife comes out clean

Meanwhile, your ganache is made up of 3 simple ingredients:

You can get started on this while your cake is in the oven

Chop up the chocolate, coarsely, and prepare extra-strong coffee

Slice up your butter and set aside

Now set up your double boiler; bring water to a simmer

Place heat-proof bowl over the pot

Pour the coffee over your chocolate

Continuously stir until chocolate is melted and smooth

Remove bowl from heat and whisk in the butter

Your ganache will get very creamy

Then allow ganache to cool, stirring occasionally

You know it is ready when the mixture gets nice and thick

Time to put together your cake!

Run a knife along the edges of each layer to loosen cake from the pans

Take your serving platter and put it over your bottom layer

Hold pan and platter together as you turn over the pan; the cake layer should come right out

Remove parchment paper; notice that the bottom of the cake is nice and flat which will work nicely for layering

Use a large spatula to spread the ganache

Cover the entire layer

Use the same methodology to flip your top layer onto a separate plate

This way you will have the top layer right-side-up on the cake

To ice the rest of the cake, pour generous amounts of ganache on top and then spread

Be careful not to spread to thin, this will keep you from collecting crumbs on the outside of your frosting

Use up all the ganache, because you can never have too much frosting on a cake

Run the spatula gently around the sides of the cake to smooth out the edges

Store cake at room temperature for up to three days

Banana Cake with Mocha Ganache

Recipe from La Mia Vita Dolce, and originally from David Lebovitz

Serves 12-16

Ingredients:

Banana Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon instant coffee grinds

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons sour cream (I used reduced fat)

2 cups mashed ripe bananas (~5 medium bananas)

Ganache

10 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup extra-strong brewed coffee

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

Banana Cake

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Spray your cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper

Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt)

Then whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside

Cream together the butter and sugar for a few minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy

Then add the coffee grinds and vanilla and mix

Add in your eggs, one at a time

Then add in the half the dry ingredients, banana, and sour cream, mixing between each addition

Mix in the remaining dry ingredients at low speed, just until combined; don’t overbeat

Divide batter evenly between two 8 or 9-inch cake pans

Bake for ~30 minutes, or until lightly browned and a knife comes out clean

Ganache

Make ganache while cake is in oven

Chop up the chocolate, coarsely, and prepare extra-strong coffee

Slice up your butter and set aside

Now set up your double boiler; bring water to a simmer in medium pot over low-medium heat

Place heat-proof bowl of chocolate over the pot

Pour the coffee over your chocolate

Continuously stir until chocolate is melted and smooth

Remove bowl from heat and whisk in the butter until creamy

Then allow ganache to cool, stirring occasionally

Ganache is ready when the mixture gets nice and thick

Build Your Cake

Run a knife along the edges of each layer to loosen cake from the pans

Take your serving platter and put it over your bottom cake layer

Hold pan and platter together as you turn over the pan; the cake layer should come right out

Remove parchment paper from cake

Put just under a cup of ganache onto the cake layer

Use a large spatula to spread the ganache, covering the entire layer

Use the same methodology to flip your top layer onto a separate plate

Then place layer gently over frosted cake

To ice the rest of the cake, pour generous amounts of ganache on top and then spread

Run the spatula gently around the sides and top of the cake to smooth out the edges

Store cake at room temperature for up to three days

Do you have any new favorite recipes?

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