Thursday, May 26, 2022

Guest Author Mary Jane Maffini's Homemade Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce, Toasted Hazelnuts and Whipped Cream #dessert #Italian dessert #giveaway

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome back to the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, Mary Jane Maffini. Mary Jane is sharing her homemade chocolate pudding with caramel sauce, toasted hazelnuts and whipped cream. Yum! She's also going to share information about her new book and there's a giveaway!




Hello, everyone! It feels wonderful to be able to visit you all again at Mystery Lovers Kitchen.  I’d like to add a special thank you to Valerie Burns for inviting me.  


Today, I am kicking up my heels to celebrate the launch of the sixth in my Charlotte Adams series. 



Death Plans a Perfect Trip (Charlotte Adams number 6) will take you on a mysterious and high-stakes jaunt with Charlotte and Jack through Paris, Lisbon and Northern Italy, specifically the wine country of Piedmont and the enchanting villages of Cinque Terre.  Along the way, you’ll find danger, suspense and plenty of good food.  This recipe is inspired by two staples of the beautiful Italian region of Piedmont: chocolate and hazelnuts. After all, this region is the home of Ferrero Rocher.  I enjoyed a dessert much like this in a lovely hilltop restaurant there and tried to duplicate it. I had additional inspiration from a recipe by Christine Cushing, one of my favorite cookbook authors. I promise that this knock-out dessert is well-worth every minute that you invest in it. It blew everyone’s mind when I served it. Extra bonus: I will probably make both the silky chocolate pudding and the very easy caramel sauce on their own from time to time and will continue to jazz up whipped cream with Frangelico: so three recipes in one really.

As for you: here’s a question: do you like a little travel mixed in with your mysteries? There are no right or wrong answers and I will be offering a copy of Death Plans a Perfect Trip to one lucky commenter. 

Ready, set, go!

Homemade chocolate pudding with caramel sauce, toasted hazelnuts and whipped cream

  


INGREDIENTS

3 1/4 cups milk, divided

2 tsp. good quality vanilla

3 large or extra-large egg yolks

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely

1 tbsp butter

3 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur (you could use another liqueur or different flavoring)

CARAMEL

1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar

2/3 cup (160 ml) 35% cream

WHIPPED CREAM

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) 35% cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Frangelico

HAZELNUT GARNISH

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, peeled and chopped

DIRECTIONS:  Scald the 3 cups milk in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over medium low heat with sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch. Add the hot milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly and then pour back into pot.


Cook the pudding gently over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon for one to two minutes or until mixture thickens and boils. Change to a whisk towards the end of stirring to ensure a smooth cream.  Remove from heat. Whisk in the chopped chocolate, butter, vanilla and Frangelico.  

Wisk until smooth and silky. Cool if your dishes are not heatproof. Divide pudding among six ramekins, dishes or small bowls and chill, preferably for three hours.

Heat sugar in a heavy-bottom pot until caramel colour.

Remove from heat immediately and add 2/3 cup cream. Let stand for two to three minutes until bubbles subside. Cool, then set aside.
  You can make this ahead.

Whip cream until peaks begin to hold.  Add the icing sugar and Frangelico and continue to whip until smooth.  


Add toasted hazelnuts to each serving dish. 


Drizzle the top of pudding with caramel. Swirl a little whipped cream on top.  Ta dah!

Enjoy! Thanks for coming by. Hope to see many of you in the comments and on Facebook.

 Mary Jane Maffini


Lapsed librarian and former mystery bookseller Mary Jane Maffini is the award-winning author of nineteen mysteries, in three and a half series and two dozen crime shorts. Her Charlotte Adams professional organizer mysteries have recently been optioned for television. The series has been reissued by Beyond the Page Publishing and the sixth has just been released.

 

MJ’s Camilla MacPhee mysteries are set in Ottawa and her Fiona Silk capers take place in a quirky village in West Quebec. As Victoria Abbott, she collaborated on the five collector mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime) with her daughter, Victoria.  Book Four, The Marsh Madness, won the 2015 Bony Blithe for mysteries that make us smile.

 MJ lives, plots and cooks in Manotick, Ontario with a pair of rescued dachshunds at her feet.  Her husband sleeps with one eye open. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/maryjane.maffini

https://www.facebook.com/maryjane.maffini.author

Looking to read Death Plans a Perfect Trip? These links might help!

https://www.amazon.ca/Perfect-Charlotte-Professional-Organizer-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09YVNDM5V/

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Charlotte-Professional-Organizer-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09YVNDM5V

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-plans-a-perfect-trip-mary-jane-maffini/1141393052

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/death-plans-a-perfect-trip


39 comments:

  1. Love a little travel mixed into a mystery.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

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  2. Arm chair traveling is my favorite in mysteries! and this dessert looks scrumptious!
    Jess
    maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. I love arm chair traveling too! And, I completely agree that the dessert looks delicious!

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  3. Thank you for this delicious sounding recipe! It sounds to die got and I know I will be trying it.

    Love arm chair traveling! Travel within the story is a great way to explore new places - real or imaginary. Being a senior citizen with some medical issues, the last few years this is the only way I've been able to travel. It's often given me a small glimpse that lead to further research to find it ending up on my bucket list of places to go.

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy of "Death Plans a Perfect Trip" which is on my TBR list. Love the cover too. Shared and hoping to be the fortunate one selected to read and review.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. Kay, I have to agree that arm chair traveling is fantastic. I love finding out about places in books where its safe.

      Good luck in the drawing!

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  4. Welcome and congratulations on your book. Thank you for sharing this wonderful yummy looking recipe. I love to travel in my books. I can go anywhere at anytime and be immersed in another place and or time. This sounds like it would be a fun read. Thanks for the chance.

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    1. Lori, I agree this recipe looks so good. I know I can't wait to try it. I also agree the book sounds like a fun read. Good luck in the drawing.

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  5. What a wonderful book! Your recipe looks delectable and so yummy. Travel in books is always a delight. Love reading about travel and experiencing the adventure. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Congratulations on this new book. When books have travel incorporated into them I am captivated since the story comes alive and is memorable.
    Your recipe is very tempting. I love the combination of flavors. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. I agree. The combination of flavors looks so amazing. Good luck in the drawing.

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  7. Yes! There are so many places I'd like to visit someday when I have the time. Until then I really enjoy learning about new places and getting to travel along through the book. Plus it's fun to give the characters a change of scene and see how they experience the trip too.
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. I think you're right about the change of scene. That adds spice to a book. Good luck in the drawing.

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  8. Welcome back to MLK, MJ! If I can't travel in person, I do enjoy being an armchair traveller by reading. And you got me drooling over your dessert: chocolate and hazelnuts are my absolute favourite combination. Will definitely try making this recipe.
    I just started reading Death Plans a Perfect Trip, so don't include me in the giveaway. I am looking forward to Charlotte & her mother's (mis)adventures in Europe!

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  9. That pudding looks delicious! I especially like the hazelnut liqueur and nuts combined with the chocolate. I enjoy travel featured in books, I might pick up some places to add to my travel list.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  10. Oh, my gosh, that looks so yummy! Yes, I like travel in books. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  11. Travel, food, spunky or quirky characters make mysteries a feast for readers. The pudding looks divine.

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  12. It's lovely to see your smiling face again!
    This sounds wickedly delicious. All three parts are winners, like you.
    Travel can add a fun element to a story.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  13. Congrats on the book. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom

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  14. I enjoy mysteries set on trains in the time when travelling by train (especially in Europe) was the best way to travel. lnchudej@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. I love the idea of train travel. It sounds perfect to me.

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  15. I enjoy traveling to different places in the mysteries I read! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

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  16. Chocolate and caramel, life could not be better!! thank you for the delicious recipe. I love to travel especially with a book!! what better way to go! lindalou64(@)live(dot)com

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    1. I 100% agree. What could be better than chocolate and caramel? Well, maybe a couple of nuts and whipped cream. :-) Yum!

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  17. I am appreciating all these comments! So glad to hear from so many of you. Good luck everyone.

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  18. I enjoy a little travel with my mystery.
    Wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  19. Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe. I do enjoy travel mixed in with my mystery since I enjoy traveling in real life. It is fun to learn about new places. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  20. MJ, so happy to have you visiting! that is one killer dessert! xox

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  21. Thank you Matry Jane for the hours of cozy detecting fun, and for the element of travel mixed in! For over 50 years I was blessed with a job at a major airline, and I had to travel for business almost every week. A cozy mystery or two always accompanied me, and provided to be excellent companions while on long flights. While on vacation, my wife and I would never travel without our stack of books...never mind the weight... Now in semi-retirement, we spend a good part of our day reading...individually and collectively...we read our own books, exchange them, but we also read a book aloud for both of our enjoyment, usually outside, listening to the birds sing as background, and with a water fountain going...I am the actor in the family, so I get such a kick out of changing the voices of the characters...especially the mean or annoying ones :-) Thank you for sharing your writing talents with us eager readers!!! Luis at ole dot travel

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    Replies
    1. I am making your dessert this weekend...it looks "wicked" ;-)

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    2. That is such a cool story. Reading out loud by a fountain sounds amazing.

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  22. Book travel is all that I have been able to do these past few years, so it has been my saving grace. I am always looking for someplace fun to go and books take me there. Thanks for taking us to Italy, France and Portugal in this one. They are all on my IRL bucket list! The dessert looks decadent! makennedyinaz (at) hotmail (dot) com

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    1. Marcia, Italy, France, and Portugal are on my bucket list, too. Good luck in the giveaway!

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  23. Dang Mary Jane that looks too good. My mouth is watering. Oh wait. I'm having tossed salad for supper. Sob Sob

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  24. The pudding looks good even though I don't eat much chocolate. I know, I am strange. And, the book sounds terrific.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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