Chocolate Cashew Delights

Chocolate Cashew Delights

I have some of the most incredible students! Sara, a senior Food CO-OP student created a dessert for the Pro Start competition that was held last week in Milwaukee.

Her raw natural ingredient recipe inspired me to create these Chocolate Cashew Delights. I whipped up a batch the other night and took them to a business gathering where they were a huge hit :) !!!

The plant based ingredients provide protein and essential fatty acids plus my own home made maple syrup adds a hint of sweetness.

Ingredients

Filling:
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons cocoa powder

Garnish:  1/2 cup chopped cashews & 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1.  Put the cashews in a food processor for 30-60 seconds or until finely chopped.

2.  Add the cocoa, coconut oil, water, vanilla and maple syrup and process until smooth.
(Tip:  coconut oil is solid in temperatures below 76 degrees F, so you may have to melt it in the microwave before adding it to food processor.)

3.  Refrigerate until firm.
4.  Form into balls, dip into melted chocolate and roll in chopped cashews and sea-salt.

The salt adds just the right pizzazz!!!   Enjoy these low carb, gluten free, dairy free delights! (Vegan too!)

Magic Moments....making memories

My family loves celebrations; bringing family and friends together--making memories :) So, for a recent birthday  party I was thrilled to get the green light to go ahead and make the cake for a very special four year old!

I have decorated traditional cakes using buttercream or decorators icing to frost,  pipe borders, flowers and designs many times.  But, I am a total rookie when it comes to using fondant--a flexible frosting that you can roll and shape.  Since our birthday girl is in a princess phase, I figured it was a perfect project to experiment with a little fondant (and a doll) to create a princess cake.   

Fondant can be purchased in a variety of colors; Walmart and Joann Fabrics and Crafts carry a nice selection of Wilton products or you can order them online. Just roll it out in to a thin sheet, cut to shape, place it over a prepared base of buttercream and form to cover your cake.  Here is how it went together.

I started with two cakes;  A party chip baked in a medium sized oven safe glass bowl, and a chocolate 9 inch round.

You will also need two batches of icing. I  really like cooked buttercream icing because it is not as sweet as traditional powder sugar recipes, and are super creamy and light.  Here is a recipe that is well worth the extra time that it takes to make.

Ingredients:

3T flour

1/2 c 2% milk

1/2 c heavy cream

1 cup granulated sugar

1 c unsalted butter

1 t vanilla

1/4 t salt

In a measuring cup combine the milk and cream. Pour half of the liquid in a saucepan with the flour and whisk until smooth.  

Stirring, cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken

Add the remaining milk and sugar.

Whisk continuously-bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Allow to cool to room temperature .

Beat room temperature butter until light and fluffy.  Add one tablespoon of milk mixture at a time. Add salt and flavoring.

Beat until smooth and creamy.

Use the buttercream to put a crumb coat on the 9 " round layer, apply a little extra on the top and position the dome shaped layer.  

Apply a thin coat of icing to the entire cake, filling in the gap between the two layers.

With a spatula apply a layer of icing to uniformly cover the entire cake. 

Next roll out the fondant to the desired size.  

 Roll fondant into a round thin circle.

 Drape the fondant over the cake forming the folds of the skirt-pinching, shaping and forming with your fingers. Next press the legs of the doll (dressed in a fondant bodice) down in the center of the cake.

After applying an overlay of fondant to connect the doll to the skirt use decorating tips to add the finishing touches. I added pearl candies along the bodice and on the top of the skirt. 

Use a long strip of fondant (cut like a ribbon) to shape a sash and bow. Place the sash around the waist with the bow and ribbons flowing down the back.

The last step....enjoy the moment!!!

Additional Decorating Resources

http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icinghttp://www.wilton.com/decorating/

http://www.wilton.com/decorating

/http://www.wilton.com/decorating/decorating-basics/

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/department.cfm?id=D753C51F-1E0B-C910-EA028724EF621B61&fid=D753C53F-1E0B-C910-EA14C2024672BBF9