The best and last cake recipe of the week

If you are from OHIO you will appreciate this cake, if you are not from Ohio you will love it anyway.

Buckeye Peanut Butter-Fudge Cake

There are Buckeye candies, peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate (a.k.a. Ohio’s unofficial state dessert). They’re the inspiration for this towering, multi-layered, ganache-drizzled cake:
Buckeye Peanut Butter-Fudge Cake.
Here it is again, star of stage, screen, and bowls of batter everywhere – espresso powder! This won’t make your cake taste like coffee (unless you add enough). It enhances the flavor of chocolate.
Set oven on to 350°F, to preheat while you make the cake batter.
Chocolate Cake
Put the following ingredients in a mixing bowl:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup Dark Cocoa or Dutch-Process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Stir to combine.
Add 4 large eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Beat till well combined; the mixture will be fairly thick.
Next, add 1 1/4 cups cold water, beating until smooth. As you can imagine, this has the potential to be a messy project. To avoid chocolate splashes, add water gradually, draping a dish towel over the top of the mixer, if necessary.
Get out two 8”x2” Round Pans Note: These pans need to be at least 2” tall; if you have non-standard, shorter 8” pans, substitute 9” round pans.
Spray the pans with your favorite non-stick spray. Then line bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and spray the parchment.
Divide the batter between the two pans.
Bake the cakes for 35 to 38 minutes (a bit less if you use a 9” pan), or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen their edges with a thin table knife.
Turn upside down onto a rack ……lift off the pan, and peel off the parchment. Repeat with the other layer.
Let the cakes cool completely;
Pick up one layer using a large spatula and transfer it to a piece of parchment or waxed paper or foil – so it’s not sitting directly on your counter. Use a long serrated knife to cut the cake in half around its circumference. You now have four separate layers.

Peanut Butter Filling
Put the following in a large mixing bowl:
4 cups (1-lb. box) confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix till well combined.
Gradually add 3/4 cup milk.
Filling should be smooth and easily spreadable (if too thick ad a little more milk, if too thin add more confectioners sugar until preferred consistency)
Put one layer on a serving plate. Spread about 1/3 of the filling ( a generous 10 ounces) on top
Repeat with the remaining layers. Put the final layer on top.
Note: You can anchor the layers with four bamboo skewers to avoid layers slipping
Chocolate Ganache Icing
Put the following in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup:
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Heat in the microwave till the cream is hot and the chocolate soft, stir until the mixture is completely combined. This takes a few minutes for the ingredients to blend completely. Be patient. Pour the ganache on top of the cake. Spread until smooth and dribbling down the sides.
It is best if the finished cake sets for a couple of hours – then serve to the fans while playing the Ohio State Buckeye Battle Cry. YUM!!

I declare this Chocolate Cake Week

I tried this fabulous Chocolate Cake recipe this week for a special birthday and it was so good.

You have to be sure you cool it completely before unmolding it from the bundt pan and be sure you spray the pay well to eliminate any sticking.

It is beautiful as well as delicious.


Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

(Source: The back of "Bakers & Chefs" brown sugar bag)

Ingredients

3 oz baking chocolate chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 cup boiling water
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Combine the chocolate, butter and boiling water in a small bowl; stir until chocolate and butter are melted.
In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.
Gradually add chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients; blend well.
Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; beat one for one minute at medium speed.
Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Invert the pan onto the cooling rack and let cool the rest of the way.
Top with chocolate ganache and powdered sugar

Ganache
4 Oz Chocolate Melted
4 Oz Heavy Cream Warmed and stirred into chocolate

Chocolate Zuchinni Cake

This is a great way to use some of that prolific zuchinni that everyone gives you at this time of the year. It is super delicious!!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

CAKE
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream or yogurt
2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounce) Dutch-process cocoa
2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional
2 cups shredded zucchini (about one 10″ zucchini, about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup (3 ounces) Dove chocolate chips

Icing
6 oz heavy cream
9 oz chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 9″ x 13″ pan with baking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the eggs. Stir in the sour cream or yogurt alternately with the flour. Then add the cocoa and espresso powder, mixing till smooth. Finally, fold in the zucchini and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack.
To prepare the frosting, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 3-5 minutes then stir to combine. It may take a few minutes of stirring for the ganache to come together… but it will. It will thicken as it cools… when warm (but not hot) pour over cake and smooth with offset spatula. Allow frosting to set for about 30 minutes before serving

Chocolate is Healthy

The health benefits of chocolate remain very much questionable, and it looks as though they haven’t been thoroughly studied yet.
Reports on chocolate state that dark chocolate contains flavonoid, an antioxidant that is effective in preventing the formation of blood clots and developing bowel cancer. Besides, it inhibits macular degeneration — the condition responsible for various health problems like blindness in seniors, dementia and premature labor.
Now scientists are beginning to discover the effect the intake of chocolate produces on cardiovascular diseases.
The Journal of Internal Medicine published a study that says eating chocolate can help individuals with a heart attack history diminish the risk of dying from a second heart attack.
It appears that people who survived one heart attack can decrease the threat of another one by three times just through eating at least two chocolate servings per week. And they waive this kind of chocolate protection if they eat less chocolate.
Chocolate with its high cocoa content lowers blood pressure and therefore can be very efficient in improving blood circulation thus bringing down the number of deaths caused by a recurring heart attack.
Scientists are optimistic about the ability of the bioactive compounds in chocolate to keep heart attack victims in a better condition.
Lead researcher Imre Janszky concludes: “if you are not overweight nor have diabetes I would not recommend against eating chocolate.” In her opinion chocolate in small amounts ranks among the healthiest desserts.

AT YOUR DESK …
CHOCOLATE SALES WILL ROCKET
Global sales of chocolate are forecast to grow by 85 per cent in value terms by 2011, according to Dr Morgaine Gaye, food futurologist.
There will be a strong growth with a focus on health, high cacao content and ethical sourcing as consumers become more aware of production methods. We will also mix everything with chocolate, including bacon and other meats.
BUT YOU’LL TRY TO INHALE ITDr Gaye says we will use our olfactory senses when consuming indulgence foods like desserts, chocolate and alcohol.
The Le Whif chocolate inhaler was launched in June 2009 and there are already two prototypes — the “smell server” from AromaJet in America and the I-Aroma in Japan — for USPs made with six base oils which can send smells over the internet.
Rumour has it that NTT Communications in Japan is researching fragrance cartridges for mobile phones as well

WHY JUST SMELL IT WHEN YOU CAN HAVE THE DELICIOUS TASTE WITH
DOVE CHOCOLATE DISCOVERIES AND DAYTON CHOCOLATIERS.

sweetrewards@daytonchocolatiers.com

Special Events

Wow, what a busy weekend, we were invited to come to the Christopher and Banks stores at the Dayton Mall of Friday to do two events. One at the CJ Store and one at the main store. We were able to set up right at the door so we could catch people walking the mall along with their customers. It is fun to introduce Dove Chocolate Discoveries to the people of Dayton. As a result we booked a show, have a possible chocolatier and were invited to go to the C&B at the Greene on Sunday for a private party. We just arrived home from another successful event.

Our goal is to touch as many people as we can in August, book parties for September and start making some more money. With school starting people are focused on their kids, but soon that will be over and they will need lots of chocolate.

I tried molding the chocolate into some halloween candies and they were very successful. It is much nicer to hand out little white chocolate ghosts rather that a broken piece of a bar. They always invoke smiles from our potential customers and they get to taste the fantastic white chocolate.

Our Pumpkin Chai Spice Dip is always a rousing success, taste just like cheesecake and is so easy to make and transport in our little covered plastic cups.

Hopefully this intro period will be over soon and the parties and monies will start rolling in.

We are tired but happy so it is on to Monday.

new event

Come see us this Friday at Christopher and Banks at the Dayton Mall. We will be at the CJ Banks store from 1:30 to 3:30 in the afternoon and 5:30 to 7:30 at the main store. There will be tastings and lots of catalogs so you can order more chocolate. It sounds like a lot of work but a fun time and I hope to be very very busy.

Doing these types of events is always a gamble and we never know how many people we may touch, but it is so important to introduce this area to this great product and possibly have the opportunity to book a party or two so people can have a fun time with friends and chocolate in their own home.

This is a new concept for the Dove Chocolate Discoveries company and we are working to make it a success in our favorite home town. After all we know that Dayton is a living city, not a dying city....and a living city needs good chocolate.

To top it off there is a great sale going on at Christopher and Banks and they have a cool chocolate tshirt that you can get to go along with the actual chocolate.

Hope to see everyone there. We have the new Fall items and they are delicious.

Chocolate and Cable and Harry Potter

Amy worked with a Cable Customer last night who has the coolest candy boxes. They are all based around the candies in the Harry Potter movies. They bought ATTUVerse and then they gave her samples of the boxes. It just goes to show that cable/chocolate/movies all go hand in glove.

I hope she does as well this evening. Selling door to door is not an easy job, but she has been successful so far.

We really need friends to schedule a Chocolate Party and this seems to be a little difficult, but every NO leads to the next YES! We just have to keep remembering that and keep the good faith.

The new fall products are unbelievably awesome (I think I already said that in a previously entry) but it is so true.

Gotta go and get dinner ready, but then it is back to the phones to call more friends and family.

Have a sweet evening (Chocolate helps).

Christmas in August??

Today must be Christmas, Santa left an entire porch full of chocolate. The fall order, the party order and my new Chocolatier (Amy's) kit. I had to go in through the garage and open the door from the inside just to get in the house. Thank goodness I was only gone for a short while as it is in the upper 80s today. It was so much fun to open the boxes and see all the goodies. Amy was excited to get her supplies as her first party is next week and she was worried that she would not get them in time. The caramels look delicious (although I resisted a taste, until maybe this evening). Cody (my 12 yr. old grandson) was with me and helped me lug everything to the basement office. He helped seperate them and put everything away (maybe a future Chocolatier?), then he and the dogs had a blast playing with the cardboard boxes.

All my party attendees are excited to get their chocolate tomorrow and hopefully I will be able to convince them that a party is in their very near future.

Now I am off to make labels for all the new catalogs and flyers for my "new" customers.

It is going to be a busy afternoon.

Yankee Candle was interesting, since it was only for 2 hours 10=12 on a Sunday Morning it was very slow, but a few good contacts might result in some bookings. We learned a lot about what to expect and what to require. Every experience is a learning experience, if you remember that you are already a winner.

Can't wait to get the new Fall Products, rumor they are awesome.

I think we are going to try the meringue snow caps with chocolate dipped bases for our next event. They should be easy and produce a lot of tasting samples.

Found a good excuse to indulge in chocolate.....it is good, makes you feel good, and doesn't make you pregnant!!! Silly but fun.

Another Chocolate Event

Sunday my new Chocolatier will take on the early customers at Yankee Candle in the Greene, in Beavercreek. Not sure about the time of the event but it is still a good opportunity to get the word out about our great Dove Chocolate Discoveries opportunities here in the Dayton, OH area.

It seems all we really have to do is mention Chocolate and other businesses jump up and down with delight. I suppose it is because we are so new and you don't have to buy kitchen supplies or jewelry to take advantage of this great tasting. And who doesn't like some kind of chocolate?

I'm legit!

Mary Rose (our first hostess) totally rocks! She not only had a mega party and told everyone to buy, buy, buy ... she also didn't use her hostess dollars. On purpose!

We used the double hostess credits to get me an actual kit so I'm not the ghost of Dayton Chocolatiers. Now how do we fast start both businesses? hmmmm

Not only does this get me legit it gets us a ton of chocolate for our next parties. Yippee Hippy!

Signing off now to go sell Cable....who lives a double life?

My Head Hurts!

So much has been going on that I haven't been contributing to the Blog. We had our first event, our first party, set up a domain and hosting account, set up email and set up accounting. I really dislike accounting. I never feel like I have everything done correctly and it takes me a looooooonnnngggg time to enter items.

You should have seen us running around looking for receipts, setting up files and generally trying to get organized. Ha! I don't think we're there yet but at least we have file folders with labels. One thing I'm sure of, you must have receipts and records for a home business.

So after dealing with our web host, setting up Outlook accounts for email, setting up accounting software and entering everything my head hurts!

This would be a good day for chocolate

It started at 5:15 AM with an enormous clap of thunder and bolts and bolts of lightening and it hasn't changed much all day. Decided to have a cup of Dove Chai Vanilla Tea and catch up on paperwork and receipts. When you have your own Home-based business you really need to capture every little expense and transactions so that you have an acurate record for taxes at the end of the year.

It also easier to find things if they are all entered into Excel or a good Accounting Program on your computer. Of course the very first thing I did when I was so rudely awakened was go and unplug my laptop. Losing everything because I hadn't backed up my files would have been traumatic.

It's Gran's 98th Birthday today so it is off to take her out to a birthday celebration with the core family. Hope it doesn't rain

Great Recipe for White Chocolate Sauce

Found a great recipe for White Chocolate Sauce, delicious over cake, brownies or chocolate ice cream.

White Chocolate Sauce

3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped or shaved into small pieces
1/2 cup sour cream, preferably at room temperature

Make the chocolate sauce:In a medium-sized pot, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the white chocolate pieces. Allow the mixture to sit and cool for a minute. All of the white chocolate should easily melt into the cream. Whisk in the sour cream and taste for seasoning. Cook's Note: Sour cream is temperamental when heated, so take care that your mixture never gets overly hot. If so, cool a little before incorporating. Set aside at room temperature

http://www.foodnetwork.com/alexandra-guarnaschelli/index.html

Chocolate Uses

Found a new use for our melted chocolate. Picked up a package of premade Cream Puffs from Sams Club. Melted some dark chocolate and dipped them in. Since they were still cold the chocolate dried quickly. They were good before, but they are delicious now. Great for a quick party dessert and people won't realize that they came from the store. You can also sprinkle them with chopped nuts before they cool for an extra burst of flavor. Yummy

The day after

Our first party was a success, but we are still learning how to be more efficient and productive. Lots of orders, a booking and a possible chocolatier. Not bad for us amatuers. The chocolate was good except I shouldn't have put the cold Baileys into the Hot Chocolate, siezed up immediately and had to start over right in front of all the guests.

Lots of inputs from our guest and suggestions to make it go smoother at our next party, it is a learning experience. Direct Sales can be very good if you get it right.

Hope you all have a great weekend.