Category: Chocolate

Christmas goody making begins with Fudge 1 and Fudge 2

December 14, 2018

I thought that there’d only be peanut butter fudge made today, but an early start followed by a cleaned and warmed 4-quart pot felt very much like a do-it-now while the pot, spoon and scraper are out. Next, a whole lot of cutting wax paper and wrapping before the fudges join some cookies next week … More Christmas goody making begins with Fudge 1 and Fudge 2

In a kitchen with juliyya: Snowman birthday cake, Part Deux, with a family

December 2, 2018

It was two years ago when the first Snowman birthday cake* made such an impression on the six-year old who enjoyed the creative process and result so much that she decided another must be made. Perhaps the theme might be repeated next year in some way. Maybe three starts a tradition. Who knows? (We’ve already … More In a kitchen with juliyya: Snowman birthday cake, Part Deux, with a family

National Cake Day: Hey! I didn’t get any of the last cake! What about a mini do-over?

November 26, 2018

The morning Twitter feed included the fact that November 26th, today, is Cake Day, known in the U.S. as National Cake Day, and I’m not one to miss an important day involving cake. Who needs an excuse to make or eat cake anyway? There was leftover chocolate cream cheese frosting from the Dutch Potato Cake* … More National Cake Day: Hey! I didn’t get any of the last cake! What about a mini do-over?

Van Harte Gefeliciteerd Otto, heartfelt congratulations & Dutch Potato Cake

November 24, 2018

Today is my friend Otto’s birthday. His mother is in town for the holiday and, since they are Dutch, I arranged with the missus to make my Dutch great-grandmother’s recipe for Dutch potato cake as my contribution to the festivities and as a surprise for his mother.  I don’t know if she’ll be familiar, but … More Van Harte Gefeliciteerd Otto, heartfelt congratulations & Dutch Potato Cake

I pulled an “Alexa” for quick peanut butter frosting for 2 cupcakes.

November 12, 2018

Man oh man. Today I quickly baked a batch of Gratitude cookies* for the two maintenance men who arrived this morning to repair a broken U pipe under the kitchen sink, replace and hook up two broken elements on the old stove and install weather-stripping around the door. I put all three of the requests … More I pulled an “Alexa” for quick peanut butter frosting for 2 cupcakes.

juliyya’s Chocolate & Raspberry Surprise Cupcakes. Maybe Cupcake Joneses?

November 10, 2018

“Why don’t you simply make half a batch of raspberry sauce if you don’t need the whole thing?” asked Sylvia after I’d told her that I’d only used 1/4 cup of it in the frosting for the Raspberry Joneses* made a few days ago. Answer: because it takes as long to make a half batch … More juliyya’s Chocolate & Raspberry Surprise Cupcakes. Maybe Cupcake Joneses?

Update 12/2024 Product Review: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Cremes

November 2, 2018

I had to go to my local Trader Joe’s again today to pick up one of their dark Belgian chocolate Pound Plus bars because somebody had bought every one of them in stock when I went in store yesterday and there was another box due last night. (There was still plenty of the other four … More Update 12/2024 Product Review: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Cremes

Emergency Brownies with Sweetened Condensed Milk: My Recipe

October 22, 2018

Many know that chocolate is a food group by itself, has proven health benefits and, for me, is essential for pick-me-ups when nothing else will do. Brownies are also known to be one of the fastest ways to meet that essential need and usually all the ingredients necessary for a pan full of them are … More Emergency Brownies with Sweetened Condensed Milk: My Recipe