Chocolate Pie

This chocolate pie is so decadent, and rich in flavor.  I already had a couple of pieces before I took the picture.  This is not my own recipe.  It was a cut out from a magazine, that I had kept some time ago. I don't remember the magazine, and there is no indication of who developed the recipe.  I already had the ingredients and thought I should try and make it.  The pie filling is the same as the recipe.  The pie dough and the chocolate whip topping is my own recipe.  It's a great recipe for special occasions, like Christmas or Easter or even Thanksgiving.  At 145 calories per ounce, that is pretty rich and there is no way I can have it every day.  But definitely enjoy it when you make it.  

Pie crust:
2 cups sifted flour
½ tsp salt
8 tbsp butter
¼ cup water

Used the food processor and it took a bit more of icy water. This is my own pie dough that I had for years – from Canada

Place the sifted flower with the salt and the butter in the food processor. Pulse till mixed together. Slowly add the ice water and pulse, till it forms a ball. Remove from the food processor, shape it into a round ball, wrap it in saran wrap and place it in the fridge till ready to use.

This recipe makes dough for two pie shells. I froze the other half in the freezer.

Chocolate Pie filling:
2¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup evaporated milk
3 large eggs,
½ cup butter melted
1½ tsp vanilla
3.5 oz 72% cacao dark chocolate private selection

Sift together the sugar and the cocoa. Using a mixer, add the eggs, the evaporated milk, the butter and the vanilla and mix well together. Add the chocolate chunks and fold into the mixture.

Preheat the oven at 350°F.

Take the pie dough out from the refrigerator. Roll out into a round and place it in a 9” plate but a deep one. Pour the Chocolate pie filling and put it in the preheated oven. Bake for an hour, till a toothpick or a knife inserted comes out clean. Some of the chocolate won’t be completely solid, but it will solidify as it cools. Just make sure the pie dough is cooked. A clear glass Pyrex pie plate is the best.

Chocolate whipped topping
½ cup of the evaporated milk
4 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla
1 envelope dream whip whipped topping

Sift together the powdered sugar with the cocoa powder. Add the envelope of dream whip topping and the milk. Use the mixer at high speed and mix well, till soft peaks form. Refrigerate till the chocolate pie is cool. Place on top of the pie and sprinkle with some chocolate sprinkles or shaved chocolate. Enjoy!

Total weight of chocolate pie is 57oz at 146cal/oz

Nutrition Facts
Servings 57.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 146
Total Fat 7 g 10 %
Saturated Fat 3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 20 mg
Sodium 13 mg
Potassium 47 mg
Total Carbohydrate 20 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 13 g
Protein 2 g

Greek Almond Macaroons with Chocolate Mousse Filling

I've been wanting to make my Greek Almond macaroons, or amygdalota as they are called in Greece, with some type of a filling.  In Greece I had them with mastic filling (resin from the mastic trees on Chios island).  It's a sweet spoon dessert that's served on a spoon over ice cold water, mostly during the summer hot months.  It's chewy and very sweet. That's why you need a glass of cold water to accompany it and wash it down.  Unfortunately, I didn't think of bringing a jar of the sweet mastic dessert back with me.  And so far, I haven't figured out how to make that mastic spoon dessert ... well not yet any way.  

Since everyone in my family loves chocolate including my granddaughter -- she is over a year old and has become my newest taste tester in my kitchen -- I thought of making my chocolate mousse filling and use that.  Also, this time I thought of using almond meal instead of grinding almonds for the  cookies.  I used Bob's Red Mill almond meal.  It's a little easier and it doesn't make any difference in the cookies, either you use almond meal or finely ground almonds (if you'd rather use fine ground almonds, here is the link for that recipe: http://greekfusioncuisine.blogspot.com/2013/12/greek-almond-macaroons-ergolavi-or.html).  Also, both recipes are gluten free. 

And voila -- the cookies came out tasting chewy, as that is their trademark, and the chocolate mousse filling came out creamy.  So here is my take on Greek almond macaroons filled with chocolate mousse.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients (Makes 23 sandwiched servings – approx. 1.5 oz each )

3 cups almond meal

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Chocolate mousse filling

1 envelope  dream whip

6 tbsp. icing sugar

3 tbsp. cocoa powder

Directions:

Melted butter for the cookie sheets and the palms of your hands to roll the cookies -- about 3 tbsp.

Beat the egg whites with the sugar. Add the almond meal, and vanilla. Mix well together. Grease 3 cookie sheets generously with butter. Also, grease your palms with butter while shaping the cookies. Shape them into 1 1/4" balls. Roll in slivered almonds. Place on cookie sheet far apart. Cookies will spread.

Bake at 325 degree oven for 20-25 minutes till the edges are brown and they are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven. Let them cool and place them in an airtight container or they will dry out. 

This recipe will make about 46 cookies.  Sandwiched together with the chocolate mousse you get about 23 cookies.

Chocolate mousse:

Beat 1 envelope of dream whip topping according to package directions. When soft peaks form, add the cocoa powder and icing sugar. Beat well till it's all incorporated. Refrigerate.

When the cookies are cooled take one tablespoon (approx.) of the chocolate mousse and spread on bottom of cookie. Take another cookie and sandwich together. When done, refrigerate them in air tight containers.

Nutrition Facts (the nutritional value is per sandwiched cookie--each cookie alone is about 80 cal)

Serving Size 1 serving (40.2 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 174

Calories from Fat 84

Total Fat 9.3g

Saturated Fat 1.1g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 6mg

Potassium 155mg4%

Total Carbohydrates 21.3g

Dietary Fiber 2.4g

Sugars 17.9g

Protein 4.4g

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Dream Whip Chocolate Mousse

Sometimes, even myself as someone who cooks from scratch likes a break. So this time instead of trying to figure out how to make gluten free chocolate cupcakes I decided to buy the box mix. I didn’t even know that there was a gluten free chocolate cake mix. But sure enough (why that doesn’t surprise me) I found the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s food cake mix. I was also short on time, so these little morsels of decadent chocolate came in handy.

I picked up the box of the cake mix at my local grocery store (I’m sure you will be able to find it at a grocery store near you). I made them the day before Father’s Day. My daughter is gluten free so I had to have a dessert that she could also enjoy with the rest of us. They only took about 45 minutes to make from start till the time they were completely baked. What could be any easier. I left them overnight on a tray and made the chocolate mousse the next day. These came out delicious and they were gone at no time. Enjoy! (PS. they are also soy free. That really surprised me).

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Dream Whip Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients (Makes 24 servings – appr. 1oz per serving)
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix
2.3oz Whipped Topping Mix (2 envelopes)
2 heaping tsp. icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp.cocoa

Directions
Mix cake mix according to package directions. Pour into cupcake pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes depending on your oven or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool.

Chocolate mousse toping
Mix together the dream whip topping according to package directions. Add the cocoa and the icing sugar. Beat at medium speed till soft peaks form. Refrigerate till ready to use. Frost the cupcakes with the mousse and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 0.73 oz (20.8g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 79
Calories from Fat 4
Total Fat 0.4g
Saturated Fat 0.2g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 100mg
Potassium 3mg
Total Carbohydrates 17.5g
Dietary Fiber 0.5g
Sugars 9.6g
Protein 0.5g

Chocolate Orange Swirl Cake

This is an easy and tasty coffee cake that you can make in an afternoon. It's also a nice after school snack for kids coming home from school. My mother used to make this cake not only on special occasions but to have as an everyday snack, with an afternoon coffee or even later in the evening. What can go wrong with a bit of chocolate anyway. Enjoy!

Ingredients (Makes 30 servings appr. 1.5 oz each)
2 ¾ cups flour
3 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2/3 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. orange rind
3 eggs
1 cup skim milk
2 tbsp. cocoa powder

Directions
Sift together the flour the baking powder and the salt. Set aside.
In a bowl beat together the canola oil, sugar and vanilla till blended. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the skim milk. Mix well.
Preheat oven at 350° F.
Butter and flour a Bundt cake pan.
Separate 1 cup of the cake batter in another bowl. Add the cocoa powder and mix well together. That's for the swirl of the cake.
Pour half of the yellow batter in the greased and floured Bundt pan. Pour the chocolate batter over it. Don't swirl it just let it take its own shape. Pour the rest of the yellow batter over the chocolate batter. Bake at 350° F oven for one hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1.534 oz (43.5g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 146
Calories from Fat 49
Total Fat 5.4g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 16mg
Sodium 50mg
Potassium 99mg
Total Carbohydrates 23.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.5g
Sugars 13.8g
Protein 2.1g