Chocolate Truffle Cake - Take 2

A month or so ago, I made a chocolate truffle cake, trying to copy the Ruth's Chris's Steak House recipe without having a recipe, and it turned out great. There were lots of happy comments from some of you. But I have to admit, the cake texture wasn't as velvety as I'd wanted so, of course, I had to experiment again. Whee!

I love chocolate, so it wasn't a chore, I promise you.

I made it for author pals Hannah Dennison and Kate Carlisle and their hubbies. What fun. Everyone loved it.

Hannah is on the left. She writes the charming Vicky Hill Mysteries. Kate is on the right. She writes the "book lovers" Bibliophile Mysteries.

Jason, Hannah, Kate, Dons

I can't tell you how nice it is to have writing friends in the same city. We occasionally go out to dinner, just the girls, and we catch up on the business, the experience of writing, the challenges that face us. Mostly we laugh. I'm very blessed to have them in my life.

What is even more fun is when all the girls and husbands get together and we all get along. And we did. More laughter, even though the temperature outside was soaring (close to 100 degrees) and football  called on the television.  (My husband watched sparingly...and that's his job, watching sports. He's a sports consultant.  I was very proud of him.)

I served a cheese platter, the veggies and dip I shared on the blog 2 weeks ago, my mother's famous margarita, wine, steak, salad, baked potatoes with all the trimmings. A regular "hearty" meal. And we finished with the chocolate cake and fresh berries. Needless to say, we probably all ate too much, but it was so much fun.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE - TAKE 2

(This recipe makes a 10-12" springform pan size. 

I have a HALF recipe below for a 6" springform pan, 

perfect for a small gathering.)

 INGREDIENTS:

2 cups half-and-half

2/3 cup sugar

½ cup applesauce

2 oz. flavored liquid of your choice (cordials, coffee, etc.) * I used espresso

2 lbs. dark, milk or mixed chocolate, chopped (5 CUPS)  * I used half dark, half semi-sweet

6 eggs (whisked)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 300º. Brush a 10" spring-form pan with butter, line the bottom with buttered parchment and wrap the pan in foil in case of any leaks. [MINE DIDN’T LEAK AT ALL BUT IT’S A GOOD PRECAUTION.] In a saucepan, bring the half-and-half, sugar, applesauce, and coffee JUST to a boil. Place the chocolate into a mixing bowl.  Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes. [It will melt nicely.] Mix at low speed for two minutes. Add the eggs in all at once and mix thirty seconds, until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared spring-form pan. Bake until the cake is “set” - about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours. The cake will still look wet and slightly loose in the very center, but the edges will be set, slightly puffed and have small cracks. [looks like a cheesecake – I cooked mine one hour then turned off the oven and let it set for another 20 minutes] Allow cake to cool on a rack (this takes about 2 full hours), then chill for 6 hours or overnight before removing pan sides.

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Half Recipe for 6” springform pan

Ingredients:

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup applesauce

1 oz. espresso  (2 tablespoons)

1 lbs. dark chocolate chips (approx.. 2 ¾ cup chips)

3 eggs whisked

COOK ONLY 45 MINUTES FOR “MINI” CAKE, let rest 10 minutes in oven, remove cool as before.

TIP OF THE DAY: If you don’t happen to have half-and-half on hand, I found out you can use regular milk plus 1 tablespoon of butter to create half-and-half. I haven’t tried it, but it’s a good thing to know. J

I wish you all good friends close by. And if not close by, close enough to call and chat and laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. So is love.

PS.  Recently I went to Ruth's Chris and the waitress was so sweet! When I told her what I did (write and cook) and I asked her if the chef would divulge the recipe, she hurried off.  She returned with the ingredients written on a yellow sticky note. The chef had allowed her to have them. But no instructions. And the ingredients looked like enough for an entire restaurant of cakes!!! So...I'll be trying that recipe soon, when I figure out how to divide and conquer.  PSS.  I'm not far off with this verion.

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The 4th in A Cheese Shop Mystery series: 

TO BRIE OR NOT TO BRIE.  

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DARYL WOOD GERBER... 
Daryl's new series: A COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERY series
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"She" doesn't say all the same things "Avery" does. Promise.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST...okay, maybe least...:)

I'm pleased to announce that my short story, PALACE ON THE LAKE, 
in Fish Tales: A Guppy Anthology has been nominated for both
the Anthony Award and Macavity Award. 

Go Sisters in Crime Guppies! 

Without the Guppies, my career would not be on the right track.
The group support is invaluable!

You can read PALACE ON THE LAKE by clicking on the title above. :)

Say cheese!

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