Delights & Deliciousness

CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour, sifted

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature

8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature

3 Cups Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

6 Eggs, room temperature

1 Cup Milk, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and line (with parchment paper) two 9 x 5 loaf pans, or one 9 x 13 cake pan.

2. Sift flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Using a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar for about 5 minutes until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. Add vanilla and milk, mix until combined.

5. Add flour mixture and mix until completely combined.

6. Pour into greased and lined pans.  Bake for about 60 minutes or until done.

7. Once cooled, cut into two layers (should be about 1 inch thick).  Then frost with Chocolate Cream (recipe follows).

CHOCOLATE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Milk

2 Tbsp All-purpose Flour

1 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 oz Dark Chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. In a microwave safe bowl, add the dark chocolate.  Heat in microwave at 30 second intervals, mixing between each 30 seconds until smooth.  Place on the side to cool

2. In a saucepan, whisk milk, flour and cocoa powder until there are no lumps.

3. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture starts to boil.  Continue whisking until mixture thickens into a paste.  Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator to cool.

3.  In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy and glossy.  Add the cooled flour mixture, vanilla and melted chocolate and beat for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

4. Evenly spread chocolate cream over the cake, then place in the freezer.  Once set, use a warm butter knife to make the top of the chocolate cream as flat as possible.

5. Using a clean ruler, measure the cake and cut into 1 x 1 inch squares.  Cover with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer.

POURED FONDANT

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 Cups Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Corn Syrup

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, heat sugar, water and corn syrup to the soft-ball stage (around 235 degrees F) on your candy thermometer.

2. Pour into the food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Wash your candy thermometer well and reinsert into the syrup.  Let the syrup cool in the processor about 30 minutes or until it reaches 140 degrees F. Remove the thermometer.

3. Add any coloring or flavoring and process 2 to 3 minutes, until the syrup completely converts from a glassy syrup to an opaque paste.

4. Pour into a work bowl and you are ready to dip your petit fours!

DIPPING PETIT FOURS

There’s really no right or wrong way to dip your petit fours, but if you have candy dipping tools, use them!  Things will get messy real quick so make sure you line your counter top with parchment paper before you place your dipped petit fours on the cooling rack, =).

(Source: delightsanddeliciousness)