Kahlua Lava Cakes

Valentine's Day is approaching and these mini lava cakes are simple and decadent...Sure to melt your honey's heart and set the right mood for the night!  *Wink*

I've wanted to make lava cakes for a while, something simple and small.  I think decadent and super rich chocolate has its place.  I wanted to create something small, luscious and just the right amount of chocolate to compliment the subtle Kahlua flavor.  Rockin' it next to some vanilla bean ice cream was also a must.  

And, I'll be honest, I'm not a huge chocolate fan...Not even a great dark chocolate fan.  Except with coconut, of course.  I know...what happened to me at birth?  Aren't all girls supposed to be in love with chocolate?  

I also wanted to use heart shaped sprinkles and VDay seems to be the only holiday that I can use heart sprinkles.  I got my sprinkles at Target...And, in true Target fashion these sprinkles were a deal...Let me show you why...

See?! Why on earth would they combine blue teal hearts with red, pink and white hearts I ask you?  Good thing I had some time on my hands (home sick with bronchitis), plus I'm truly anal retentive when it comes to sprinkles.  Yeah, you know me so well by now...  :)

I can guarantee that these little lovelies are super easy, super full-proof and super delish.  I'm not a chocolate fan, right?  Well, these have just the right amount of "chocolaty-ness" for both the chocolate and the less-than-over-the-top chocolate lovers in your life.  

A nice glass of champagne should seal this deal.  *Wink*

I'm sharing this in the coffee liqueur challenge over at Baking With Spirit!  


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Almost Healthy Chocolate Amaretto Silk Pie

It's been awhile since I've posted here - my day job has kept me busy and left me with little time or creative energy for baking. That makes this recipe an especially timely addition to the blog: it's fast, easy, and technically could be no-bake, if you're using a pre-made pie crust. This could also easily be a vegan recipe, with a modified crust. Plus, it's sort of, almost, healthy! At least, it's lower in fat and sugar than your standard chocolate silk pie - but I honestly didn't feel like I sacrificed taste or texture to get there. 

The recipe that follows is inspired by Alton Brown, but I've tweaked some things here and there - mostly, because I didn't want to go to the grocery store! 

Before we get into that, let's take a look at the finished  product:

Almost Healthy: Chocolate Amaretto Silk Pie

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Before I tell you what's in here, I must first assure you that this pie is truly decadent and delicious. You're going to be shocked when you learn what it's made of. The texture of the filling, before it sets, is similar to chocolate mousse: it's FLUFFY. Once it sets, it's reminiscent of truffle filling. Seriously. It's rich, creamy, dense, with an intense chocolate flavor and subtle sweetness. Are you ready for the secret ingredient?

How Boozey is Your Baking?

This question came up with a friend of mine who tries to avoid alcohol: should I be eating those boozey cupcakes? I did a little research and stumbled across this site, which is where I got the chart below. I'm not sure how scientific this is, since other factors like percentage of alcohol you're starting with (are you making a wine reduction sauce or dousing a bread pudding with Grand Marnier?), cooking/baking temperature and what other ingredients you're using could affect the outcome, but this chart probably gives us a general idea. 

By the way, I should throw this out there while our relationship is fresh and exciting: I'm a nerd. I studied economics in college and I really love charts and graphs. 

 

I probably should also throw this out there: Ellen is a nerd. An incredibly awesome, stylish & savvy nerd. And, I've discovered that baking with scientists = ridiculously fun. It's kind of like baking with Alton Brown. Ellen can explain the chemical reactions of various ingredients and decode trade secrets like nobody's business. And she throws a mean dinner party too - more on that later!

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