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the sweet scoop
the sweet scoop
10 Classic American Desserts on The Daily Meal
Friday, February 1, 2013 at 09:02 AM - Posted by Megan - (0) commentsThey say “as American as apple pie” for a reason. Our sweets-loving nation has become renowned for many iconic, notable desserts—from regional specialties to tried-and-true classics. Many of which are at the heart of our country’s food culture. After all, what would birthdays be without cake? Holidays without pie? Summers without ice cream?
To help celebrate our love affair with classic indulgences, The Daily Meal asked me to round up a collection of timeless and oh-so beloved American desserts. Did your favorite nostalgic treat make the list? Get sweet on the full article (complete with a mouthwatering picture slideshow and recipe links) here.
Image courtesy of The Daily Meal
This March 17th, you won’t need the luck o’ the Irish to find a perfect St. Patrick’s Day dessert recipe. Get the shenanigans started with easy-to-bake, homemade chocolate brownies spiked with luscious Irish Cream. These flavorful, fudgy treats are surprisingly light, so you can indulge and still have room for all that green beer. Cheers!
Irish Cream Brownies (makes approx. 16 brownies)
Recipe from Cooking Light
Get Sweet on NYC Chocolate Week 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:02 PM - Posted by Megan - (0) commentsWith Valentine’s Day only a few days away, the Big Apple is celebrating this romantic time of year by showing its sweet side. Created in 2011, NYC Chocolate Week is the first event in New York City entirely dedicated to the art of preparing chocolate. During this seven-day culinary showcase, twelve participating NYC restaurants and their chefs will highlight chocolate’s irresistible qualities through food and wine pairings and specialty desserts.
From February 13-19, chocolate lovers have the opportunity to indulge their sweet tooth at romantic spots including Ayza West Village, Bistro Vendôme, Opia, DB Bistro Moderne and Jean-Louis. Details vary by location, but many offer guests complimentary chocolatey confections—from decadent dessert samplings to chocolate fountains—with the purchase of a two-course meal.
Need a little more temptation? By attending a NYC Chocolate Week event, you’ll also be supporting official charity partner Action Against Hunger in the fight against malnutrition worldwide. Giving back never sounded so sweet.
For more info and a full list of participating restaurants, visit ChocolateWeekNYC.com.
Image courtesy of AyzaNYC.com.
Impress guests this holiday season with flavorful, easy-to-make Bourbon Balls. These sweet and chewy, no-bake confection will have dessert lovers (and especially bourbon fans) swooning. Get creative with tasty toppings—colored sprinkles, granulated sugar, chopped nuts, melting chocolate—for a box of bourbon-flavored beauties that’s perfect for gift giving. Now, grab a bottle of your favorite Kentucky whiskey and get rollin’!
Holiday Bourbon Balls (makes about 4 dozen bourbon balls)
Recipe adapted from the Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookies E-Book
Get Sweet On MarieBelle’s New Frangelico Ganache
Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 11:11 AM - Posted by Megan - (0) commentsRich dark chocolate ganache gets kissed by hazelnut liqueur. The result? Decadence at it’s finest.
Celebrated chocolatier MarieBelle has paired up with Frangelico to unveil an indulgent new truffle flavor just in time for the holidays—the Frangelico Ganache. Blending creamy dark chocolate with luscious hazelnut, this melt-in-your-mouth confection also reveals notes of vanilla, coffee and almond. And it’s quite stunning. MarieBelle founder, chef and chocolate artist, Maribel Lieberman, incorporated hues from the Frangelico bottle into the beautiful sunset-colored mosaic design on each truffle.
Last week, I attended an intimate media gathering at MarieBelle, to celebrate the new flavor. The boutique itself is gorgeous. A luxurious chocolate haven, evoking European sophistication and old-world charm, nestled into SoHo’s Broome Street. Attendees settled into the shop’s darling Cacao Bar—a cozy cafe offering sweet nibbles and hot cocoas—to experience the Frangelico Ganache.
Maribel warmly greeted guests and excitedly debuted her latest creation. “These artisanal holiday truffles embody the flavors of the season, blending the hazelnut flavor of Frangelico with the gourmet taste of high-quality dark chocolate.” And to perfectly complement the flavor nuances in the confection, Master Mixologist James Moreland was on hand to stir up three Frangelico-based dessert cocktails (recipes below).
Beginning November 15th, Frangelico Ganache truffles will be available at the MarieBelle retail location in New York City, online at MarieBelle.com and at select department stores nationwide. They come packaged in a variety of sizes, each wrapped in an exquisite ribboned box that is uniquely Mariebelle.
Life is always sweeter with chocolate, and these truffles make a delightful gift that any chocolate lover will enjoy. And to sip while you sweet, try these tasty dessert cocktails from James Moreland:
Frangelico Truffle Cocktail
1 oz Frangelico
1 oz SKYY Vodka
¾ oz cold espresso
Shake with ice and serve up in a cocktail or martini glass. Dust with dark chocolate shavings.
Frangelico Supreme
1 ¼ oz Frangelico
1 ¼ oz Flor de Caña 7 Year Grand Reserve Rum
1 ¼ oz sweet vermouth
Shake with ice and pour over ice into rocks glass.
Cherries Flambé
1 ¼ oz Frangelico
2 spoonfuls sour cherry macerate
¾ oz cherry brandy
Shake hard and strain over rocks in a Collins glass.
Strawberry season is officially upon us. As if this time of year isn’t sweet enough, Sunday also happens to be my very lovely mother’s birthday! Since chocolate covered strawberries are one of her all-time favorite treats, I couldn’t resist dipping a few berries in her honor.
At the peak of ripeness, juicy strawberries are luscious enough on their own, but we all know that chocolate makes everything better. These cocoa-covered beauties are incredibly simple to make, and each time I bite into one, I think of Mom. And smile. Happy birthday to the best Mom in the world! xoxo
To dip your own, just follow the directions from my Chocolate Smothered Oreos post here. Simply swap out Oreos for a couple dozen strawberries (be sure to dry completely after washing) and get creative!
For a delicious twist on a cream-filled classic, milk’s favorite cookie gets spiffed up and smothered in chocolate. Cocoa-covered cookies are surprisingly simple to make and are as easy on the eyes as they are the palate. Get creative with a mixture of toppings—like festive sprinkles, peppermint snow and chopped nuts—or unleash your inner Jackson Pollock by splattering each indulgent Oreo with drips of multi-colored chocolate. These impressive-looking confections are melt-in-your-mouth decadent and make a great homemade gift idea.
Chocolate Smothered Oreos
*one 1-1/2 lb bag of melting chocolate is enough to cover one bag of Oreo cookies
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