CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE...

So I thought I would start off the week with something sweet that has a little stout in it. How's that for a Monday?? That might sound strange, but I PROMISE it's so good... You guys know I love chocolate, so I'm always on the hunt for a new chocolate-y recipe to try. This is one of Nigella Lawson's delicious, unfussy, super easy cakes that has the most intense chocolate flavor and is so moist (I know so many people hate that word, but it's the perfect word for this cake. Sorry... ). Guinness has a supporting role in this cake, yet a very important role. The stout itself has a bitter-ish flavor that pairs surprisingly well with the chocolate. You can't necessarily taste the stout itself in the cake, and the cake is definitely not bitter, but you can tell that something special is there... If you want to make a special homemade birthday cake for someone or want to impress your dinner guests with something that tastes like it took you all day to make, hook them up with this cake. They'll love ya... :)

Here is what you need and what to do:

Cake

Room temperature butter for the pan
1 cup Guinness stout
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter (1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Frosting

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream


To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a large pot set over medium-low heat, combine the Guinness and the butter. Melt the butter then remove the post from the heat. Then add whisk in the cocoa and the sugar until smooth. Set pot aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Add that mixture to the Guinness mixture and whisk. Add the flour in three batches and whisk until each batch is incorporated. Add in the baking soda and give it one more good whisk.

4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour until a cake tester (i.e. a toothpick) inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

5. Let the cake cool for an hour and then release it from the pan.

To make the frosting:

1. Add the confectioners' sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Mix it up for a few seconds to break up the lumps. Then add the cream cheese and blend until smooth.

2. Add the heavy cream and blend it again until smooth.

3. Generously ice just the top of the cake.

Enjoy!

Images by me

CHOCOLATE PECAN TART:: FOR BEGINNERS

So I have this fear - and that fear is of pies - pies from scratch specifically. I don't like making pies because my experience with homemade pie dough has been horrific. I never get it right and I just don't have the patience right now to get it right. Cooks on TV make it look so simple right?? I do want to get it right one day, but for now I thought I'd take a step back and practice with this super easy and DELICIOUS chocolate pecan tart. This is the kind of tart that you make when you baking is not your thing - yet you have been charged with bringing dessert to your holiday gathering, or the kind of tart you make when you have very little time to pull a dessert together. It takes about 15 minutes to make and it's made with a store-bought pie crust and pantry staples. AND it's so good. It's simply a flakey, crisp crust with a gooey chocolate-y center that's topped with pecans that develop this wonderful roasted flavor as they bake. So good. It's just a simple, quick dessert that would be perfect for your holiday table.

Here is what you need and what to do:
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 store-bought pie crust
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional, but I used it and it's good!)
8 oz bag whole pecan halves

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make sure the rack is in the center of the oven.

2. Lightly flour a surface and place to dough on the surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. It should be about 9.5 inches in diameter by the time you finish rolling it out. If you aren't used to rolling out dough, don't fret about this step! It only takes a few rolls and your are done!

3. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and unwrap it over a 9 inch tart pan (I love this one and its price!). Lightly press it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim off any leftover dough that hangs over the pan. Place the tart pan on top of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, and bourbon.

5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the tart shell. Pour the filling over the chocolate chips. Arrange the pecan halves over the filling in any pattern you like. I arranged them in a circular pattern here. Either way, just make sure they are spread out in one even level so that they cook properly.

6. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the filling has set and the dough has browned and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. If the pecans start browning too fast, then lightly cover the tart with foil until the tart finishes baking. I didn't have to do that, but just in case! Let the tart cool completely before removing it from the pan.

7. I think this is best served warm with a side of ice cream and/or whipped cream, but it's good at room temp, too!

Enjoy!

Images by me

STRAWBERRY BROWNIE CAKE...

Hello! How's it going? Well I'm back after a bit of an unplanned week away from this computer. Some projects at home and work left me with just enough energy at the end of each day to do mindless things like watch TV and read before falling asleep about 30 minutes later. The struggle is real sometimes when you work full time and blog on the side! But it's all good. I've learned to honor and listen to my body when it's tired and take time away from blogging when necessary - and not feel bad about it. Ya know what I mean?

Anyway, one of the books I was reading last week was Endless Summer Cookbook, a new cookbook by Katie Lee. I adore Katie Lee. She has a knack for simple entertaining and making simple recipes to go along with it. She also has great taste in both the fashion and interior design departments. Her new home in the Hamptons is stunning to say the least. One recipe that really caught my eye in her new cookbook was this Strawberry Brownie Cake. I needed something really easy to make to get back into the swing of blogging, and this recipe was just that. If you have a few boxes of brownies (or ingredients for your favorite homemade brownie) some fresh strawberries, and some whipped cream or Cool Whip in your kitchen, then you can whip this FABULOUS dessert up in no time. The combination of the moist brownies (I like a cakey-fudgy texture), the summer fresh strawberries (that are 2 for $5 right about now), and the freshly whipped cream in the photos you see there were just heaven in my mouth. It's the perfect little "fake-out" recipe that will leave your family or dinner party guests feeling quite impressed, inspired, and fully satisfied. :)

Here is what you need and what to do:

2 boxes of your favorite brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli)
Packages of chocolate syrup (if included with brownie mix)
4 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or 2 cups Cool Whip
1 cup sour cream, at almost room temperature
1lb strawberries, hulled & sliced

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature stated on the box of brownies. Line the bottom of two 8in round cake pans with parchment paper. I use these cake pans and love them. They are the real deal. Spray the bottom and sides of the pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add the brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil, and chocolate syrup (if it was in the box) to the bowl of an electric mixer that is fitted with a paddle attachment. Once all of the ingredients are combined, divide the batter between each pan. Bake according to the instructions on the box. I baked mine for about 35 minutes so that they would be a little fudgy. Let them cool completely in the pans. Once they have cooled, carefully turn them out of the pan. You might need to run a paring knife around the sides to make sure they release easily.

3. To make the fresh whipped cream, pour the heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until you almost have stiff peaks. Fold in the sour cream with a spatula. If using cool whip, simply fold in the sour cream.

4. Place one layer of the brownie on the bottom of a cake server. Spread about half of the cream on top of the brownie. Top the cream with strawberries. Place the second layer of the brownie on top of the first layer and top it with the remaining cream and strawberries.

5. Slice it (it will be a little messy, but thats the way it should be!), and serve with little side of strawberries and extra whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Images by me

CHOCOLATE CHUNK BLONDIES...

How was the weekend?? My weekend was quite good - because I chose for it to be good. I could have ran all over the city running errands in an effort to shrink my to-do list, but sometimes choosing to put yourself at the top of your to-do list is best. I chose to go to Pilates, take a 2 hr nap (I had a few dreams, so you know it was a good nap!), read, cook (I made this stew - so good!), and bake. It was like I took a little vacation from life and I'm kinda sad that it's over. But on with life and on with a new week!

So about what I baked... I think I've mentioned a few times here that I have a new job. The people I work with are really sweet and have made me feel very welcome over the last few weeks, so I thought I would make a little treat for them today. I wanted to make something really good for that I was already familiar with, so I decided to make Ina Garten's Chocolate Chunk Blondies. I've made these tons of times for people and they get rave reviews every single time. Simply put, they taste like a really rich chocolate chip cookie that is the form of a bar. The chocolate chunks melt into the bar and add the perfect amount of richness. The walnuts (which are optional) add right amount of crunch and compliment the sweetness of the blondie. These blondies are so good and are honestly super easy to make. So if you want to impress someone with a sweet treat, or attempt to do so, this would be a mighty fine option in my book... :)

Here is what you need and what to do (makes 12 large blondies):

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 lbs semisweet chocolate chunks (about 1 1/2 11.5 oz bags of Nestle's chocolate chunks), chocolate chips work, too if that is what you have on hand
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13x9x2 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Cut the paper long enough so that some of it hangs over the sides of the pan. Use binder clips to clip the overhang of the parchment paper to the sides of the pan. Spray the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray. All of these steps will make it so much easier for you lift the blondies out of the pan when they are done. The alternative is to simply butter and flour the pan...

2. Add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the ingredients for 3 minutes - not a minute shorter! Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl down after each addition.

3. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer. Mix until everything is just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chunks and walnuts using a spatula.

4. This is the messy, but fun part! Pour the dough into the center of the prepared pan. Use your clean hands to spread the dough out evenly in the pan. This will be messy, but the goal is to make sure that the dough is even. The binder clips should be keeping the parchment paper in place at this point. Once you get the dough evened out, smooth the top with a spatula. This will look messy, but it will get prettier as it bakes!

5. Remove the binder clips (if using) and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (i.e. no uncooked dough). These are really dry if they cook too long, so make sure you don't over-bake them! Once they are done, let them cool in the pan. Once they are cool, lift the blondie out of pan using the parchment paper and cut it into bars.

6. These are best if served slightly warm with a side of vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce, but they are good at room temp, too! Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Images by me

CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY CAKE...

So over the last few months, I have been gathering inspiration for food, food styling and food photography from cookbooks. Like, lots of cookbooks. I've been collecting them and perhaps I might be developing a slight problem. Maybe. But I find them to be so relaxing! One of my recent purchases was Paul Lowe's cookbook, "Eat & Make."  Paul is the editor of Sweet Paul Magazine, an online magazine that is always so beautifully done. In the magazine, Paul shares delicious recipes that are always perfectly styled. So when I saw he was coming out with his own cookbook, I knew I had to purchase it...

One of the first recipes I flipped to was this chocolate and raspberry cake. The recipe inspired me in three ways. One - I love chocolate. That's a given. Two - chocolate and raspberries together are heavenly, so I could only imagine how much better they would be if they were baked together. Three - the list of ingredients was short. I love a good dessert with a short list of ingredients! So I had to make this and I'm SO glad that I did! It was simple to make, turned out beautifully and was delicious. It's a fudgy cake with an intense chocolate flavor. But the intensity is cut once you bite into a sweet raspberry that has baked into the cake. Fabulous... This would be the perfect, simple dessert for a summer dinner party or a special celebration...

Here is what you need and what to do:

10 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and divided
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh raspberries, plus more for serving
Powdered sugar & mint, for garish

1. Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan using the wrappers from the two sticks of butter. That trick works perfectly here! Set the pan aside.

2. Place the two sticks of butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Don't forget to save the wrappers from the butter to butter the pan! Beat the butter and the sugar until creamy - about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs to the mixture, one at a time.

3. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt together. Add the flour mixture in 3 or so batches to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix well after each addition.

4. Add the sour cream and 1 cup of the melted chocolate to the batter and mix well.

5. Pour the batter into the springform pan. The batter will be pretty thick, so even out the top of the batter using a regular spatula or a small offset spatula. Sprinkle the raspberries on top of the batter.

6. Bake for about 1 hour or until the center of the cake is slightly set. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should be wet, but the sides should be fully set. The cake will be dry if it cooks too long, so start checking it after 55 minutes or so.

7. Completely cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Once it has cooled, run a knife around the edge of the pan and then release it. Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar, and a sprig of mint. Serve with a side of the remaining melted chocolate, raspberries and maybe a scoop of a good quality vanilla ice cream...

Enjoy!

Images by me

MY FIRST LAYERED CHOCOLATE CAKE...

Well this post is a big deal to me... This post is the accomplishment of a goal that I set in this post - a post I wrote two years ago. I had a goal of making my first layered cake - a really, really good chocolate layered cake that tastes good and looks good. And this weekend I finally did it! That might seem like a minuscule goal, but achieving this was a big deal to me. Has anyone told you that making layered cakes from scratch for the first time is HARD? Making sure the layers are the same size, making sure the layers don't fall while they are in the oven, and making sure it tastes decent all in one = hard. And the frosting... I might have gotten a pimple or two from frosting this cake. So. Hard.

All of that is my honesty, not a way of deterring you from making this SINFULLY delicious cake. This was my third attempt at making this cake. My first attempt resulted in cake batter spilling out in my oven. I then purchased that green milk glass cake stand to get myself excited about trying again. I don't even want to talk about what happened on my second attempt... But I think that homemade layered cakes are are a labor of love and personable, which is the reason I made this goal. I wanted to learn how to bake a cake that I could make on special occasions for people I love and for my kids that I hope to one day have. And this Ina Garten cake my friends, is "the one."

When I tasted this cake for the first time, I wanted to melt. SO GOOD! I love a really, really moist and rich chocolate cake and this cake is just that. You would probably have to leave it out for two days to dry it out. The less rich, but really flavorful mocha frosting perfectly compliments the richness of the cake. Tasting it all put together definitely made it worth the trials and time it took for me to make it.

To keep you from scrolling for an hour, I have posted the recipe after the jump. I've also posted a few tips to keep you from getting the pimples I got... :)

SECRET INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

If you ever want to see me smile, catch me in the middle of eating the perfect chocolate chip cookie. The perfect chocolate chip cookie would be soft but not hard, chewy but not soggy, chocolate-y but not too chocolate-y. I only have a few requirements... :) When I saw these "secret ingredient" chocolate chip cookies, I was intrigued. When I saw that the secret ingredient was cream cheese, I was even more intrigued - and excited! I LOVE cream cheese and the moist texture that it gives anything that's baked. But I have never made chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese. Have you??? As I was making these, I had this feeling that I wouldn't be disappointed. And sure enough I wasn't...

Well, I thought that this Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie was my favorite chocolate chip cookie, but I think this cookie just might have beat it... The cream cheese made the cookie slightly more dense, really chewy and I think it even brought out more of the chocolate flavor in the chocolate chips. I thought they were amazing and my co-workers agreed! :)

Here is what you need:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Here is what to do:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cream cheese and vanilla together until fluffy. Mix for about a minute, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for another minute. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour in 3 batches until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. Oh and try not to eat the cookie dough before or while it's chilling. I can't promise you I did that... :)

4. When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the over to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

3. Drop mounds of the dough that are about the size of 2 tablespoons (I used a 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop) on the cookie sheet. They will spread as they bake, so space them about 2 inches apart.

4. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are slightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!!!

Images by me

CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL SKILLET COOKIE

Well thank goodness for blog post titles. If it weren't for them, you might be thinking, "What in the WORLD is that??" Well that, my friends, is simply a huge, amazing cookie that is baked in a skillet. It's sinfully delicious - like for real sinful. It's gooey. It's chocolate-y. It's my new favorite dessert. Like - for real.

I found this dessert on Pinterest and I was itching to whip out my skillet the minute I saw it. I've seen a few recipes that involve making a cookie in a skillet, but nothing like this one. This one has it all - peanut butter, oats, chocolate, butter AND sweetened condensed milk. Everyone knows that anything with sweetened condensed milk is pretty much a winner...

And this was a winner people. I made this and photographed it whole before I dug in. That seemed like the longest few minutes of my life! It smelled insanely good. Once I dug in, I saw that the sweetened condensed milk turned into a a caramel-like sauce. That sauce mixed with the melted chocolate, peanut butter and the crunch of the oat topping - I swear it is one of the BEST things I've ever tasted. If you love those sweet things and easy to make desserts, then you must whip out your skillet and make this. 

Here is what you need and what to do:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole oats (regular, not quick cooking)
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
ice cream

1/ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray an oven-safe 10 in skillet with cooking spray or brush it with melted butter. Set aside.

2/ Add the melted butter, egg, sugar and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk for about 1 minute or until the batter is fluffed. Add the flour, salt and baking soda and stir with a spatula until just incorporated. Add the oats and stir until combined.

3/ Add a little less than 3/4's of the batter to skillet. The batter will be a little sticky, so have a little patience in spreading it out. Slightly wet hands will help with the process. Reserve the remaining batter and set the skillet aside.

4/ In a small bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter together until smooth. Pour the mixture over the dough in the skillet.

5/ Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top of the condensed milk mixture.

6/ Drop tablespoon-sized chunks of the reserved dough over the chocolate chips in the skillet. This will form a crust over the top of the cookie, so drop the dough as uniformly as possible.

7/ Bake for about 25 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are slightly crisp. The center of the cookie will be very gooey, but it will set as cools in the skillet.

**This cookie tastes heavenly in not one - but two ways. It tastes amazing right out of the oven with a dollop of ice cream on top. But once it cools completely, you can slide it out of the skillet, cut it up into bars and store it in a sealed container for up to 3 days or so. I served it to my co-workers in the form of bars and they LOVED it!

Enjoy!

For a healthier cookie, substitute the peanut butter for almond butter, flour with quinoa flour and oats with a 5-grain blend!

Images by me

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE

So, you know I have a love affair with chocolate. I adore it. I eat it daily. Every. Single. Day. So when I saw Giada de Laurentiis (I adore her, too) making this delicious looking chocolate mousse on her show, I knew I had to make it. It's different, it's easy to make and most importantly, it's really, really good. I imagine it would make the perfect V-day dessert, too. :)

Don't let the word 'avocado' sway you! I'll tell you why along with the recipe after the jump...

Espresso Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies

Yesterday I took the day off. I celebrated the infrequent event with a fabulous Pilates session (first session in three weeks and my body is reminding me of that right now), watching re-runs of The Cosby Show, a nice lunch, chocolate and Christmas planning...

Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love bananas. A whole, whole, whole lot. I have one everyday unless they are too ripe- which seems to happen quickly during the summer. I don't like wasting food, so I either use the ripe bananas to make banana bread or slice and freeze them for smoothies. But I recently ran across a new option- a banana cookie. 

 I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website. I just want to give her a big fat hug for sharing it because they are so easy to make and SO GOOD! When I took the first bite, I immediately tasted the bananas, but the flavor wasn't overwhelming. Then the chocolate, walnuts and the oats kicked in and well, all seemed well with the world. You must try them I tell ya...

Here is what you need and what to do:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon course salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup semi-sweet sweet chocolate chunks or chips

1/2 cup of coursely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together flours, salt and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside. Put the butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. Mix in the bananas. Add the flour mixture in two or three batches. Mix until combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate chunks or chips and walnuts.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop the dough onto the baking sheets. The cookies will spread as they bake, so be sure to space them at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, rotating them halfway through. The cookies will be done when they are golden brown. They will be tender in the center, but will harden slightly as they cool. Cool them on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely. They can be stored in airtight containers for up to 2 days. 

Let me know if you make them!

Linked up with Tasty Tuesdays

A Chocolate Soufflé Story

Just because Love Day has come and gone doesn't mean that I won't eat chocolate for another year. I wouldn't do that to myself. That would be absolutely insane... I eat chocolate everyday, whether its a little Dove dark chocolate candy or a handful of chocolate chips. Sometimes I treat myself to something more special, which is what I did last weekend...

One of my favorite desserts is chocolate soufflé. I love everything about them from their texture to the process of making them. I find the process sort of therapeutic... 

I started the process by chopping up this precious bar of organic semi-sweet chocolate.  I melted it down and slowly incorporated it into a mound of fluffy, sweetened egg whites and whipped pale yellow egg yolks...

And this is what I got... I got a spongy, chocolatey, light, delicious work of food art. I photographed these as soon as they came out of the oven as they tend to deflate over time. When their photo session was over, I took one soufflé ( I made two), sat at my kitchen table and had dessert. I think it was around two in the afternoon and I had eaten lunch two hours prior. That's ok right?

After I finished the first soufflé, I poured a jar of creamy milk. Then, I reached over to the second soufflé... and devoured it. Yes, I felt guilty. I ate a salad for dinner that night, which made me feel a little better...

I used this amazing and simple recipe. It calls for bittersweet chocolate, but semi-sweet is delectable as well...

Images by me