I found a recipe for yummy chocolate cake from Grace Langlois’  blog, La Mia Dolce Vita. One kitchen tool that is a must for this recipe is a silicone spatula–just look at all that frosting and all those layers!

Here are some that are well priced silicone spatulas ($27.50) that look great:

Williams-Sonoma Personalized Silicone Spatulas, Clear, Set of 3

And to maintain some semblance of dignity in an already messy kitchen, place any frosting covered spatula on the cutest Le Creuset Stoneware Spoon Rest.

Le Crueset Stoneware Spoon Rest in Kiwi

And without further ado:

Donna Hay’s Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

From Donna Hay, serves 6-8

• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 125 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup (35 g) cocoa, sifted
• 2 cups (300 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda, sifted
• 2 cups (440 g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 160° C (325° F).  Lightly grease 2, 18 cm round cake tins and line with parchment paper.
2. Place the water, butter and cocoa in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted; set aside.
3. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.  Add sugar and whisk to combine well.
4. Add the cocoa mixture and whisk to combine.  Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
5. Divide batter evenly between the 2 cake tins.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool in the tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 100 g unsalted butter, softened
• 500 g cream cheese
• 2 cups (320 g) icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa, sifted

1. Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 6 to 8 minutes or until pale and creamy.
2. Meanwhile, using a fine-mesh sieve, sift icing sugar and cocoa into a medium bowl. Repeat an additional 2 times.
3. Reduce stand mixer to low speed and gradually add the icing sugar, cocoa mixture.
4. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat for a further 6 to 8 minutes or until light and fluffy.

images and recipe via La Mia Dolce Vita

While cookies and milk were the quintessential snacks of our youth, I much more prefer espresso (from my favorite Breville Cafe Modena Espresso Machine) and cookies as an adult. Blogger Buns in My Oven posted this perfectly sweet recipe on her website and I cannot wait to bite into my own homemade oatmeal pie cookie.

Oatmeal Cream Pies
recipe from Honey & Jam

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tbsp cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 cups quick oats

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and the eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and oats. Beat into the cream mixture. Refrigerate cookie dough for 15 minutes.

Drop about 1 tbsp of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. The centers should still be slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Spread about 1 tbsp of cream filling (recipe below) on the bottom of one cookie and then top with another cookie.

Cream Filling

* 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I imagine butter would work just fine)
* 1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1-2 tbsp milk, as needed

Cream together the shortening and marshmallow cream. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beat well. Thin with milk until you get the right consistency. The mixture should be thick and creamy, but easily spreadable.

Here is the Breville ESP6SXL Cafe Modena Espresso Machine. Beauty!

If you really want to make me jealous…(drumroll) presenting, the

Breville BES820XL Espresso Machine!

And fresh ground coffee to go with. I need to try this :

Breville iKON Conical Burr Grinder

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, so to me, Summertime is synonymous with beach bonfires! When the sun dips below the horizon line and the temperature drops, there is no better way to end a day at the beach than with s’mores. S’mores are the simplest desserts around; all you need are graham crackers, plain milk chocolate and marshmallows.

HOMEMADE VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS
Yield: 24 marshmallows
adapted from Baked: new frontiers in baking

“if you have not eaten a homemade marshmallow, you are missing out on a rhapsodic pleasure. It is most certainly not the same marshmallow you know from the grocery store. In fact, it is like comparing  a fresh baguette to wonder bread. Our recipe produces cloudlike squares that melt in your mouth or in your hot chocolate. They are sticky, sweet, and full of vanilla flavor. Perhaps best of all, they are quite easy to make, and require few ingredients”

6 sheets gelatin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting

Grease an 8×8-inch pan with shortening, using a paper towel to rub it lightly and evenly onto the bottom, sides and edges of the pan. Set aside.

Put the gelatin sheets into a medium microwave-safe bowl and fill it with very cold water, set aside; add a few ice cubes to keep it cold.

Place the sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan and stir gently. Clip a candy thermometer (try this Digital Candy Thermometer ) onto the pan, and place it over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, checking it occasionally–you are looking for it to eventually hit a temperature of 235-240 degrees (soft ball stage).

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer (my favorite is this KitchenAid 5-speed mixer) fitted with the whisk attachment. By this point, the gelatin sheets should be very soft–drain them well and give them a quick wringing out, and place them back in the microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until the gelatin is completely melted, about 30 seconds. Turn the mixer on low, and very slowly pour the melted gelatin into the corn syrup. Keep the mixer running while you check the sugar syrup.

Once the syrup reaches 235-240 degrees, pull it from the heat. Carefully transfer the syrup to a large, heatproof measuring cup or a similar vessel with a spout for easy pouring. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. When all the syrup has been added, crank the speed up to medium-high and let it go for about 8 minutes–the candy will turn white and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and increase the speed to its highest setting for 1 more minute.

Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sift confectioners’ sugar evenly and generously over the top. Let sit for about 6 hours.

Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan and invert it onto a confectioners’ sugar-dusted work surface. Dust the marshmallow slab with more confectioner’s sugar and cut into whatever size pieces you wish (a pizza cutter works great here). Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more confectioners’ sugar, patting off the excess. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Images and Recipe via DuJour Mag

I don’t think there’s anything in this world that I crave more than ice cream. And not just during the hot summer months: I crave it year-round. I’ve been behaving myself lately and indulging less often since I’m trying to lose weight and train for a half marathon, but I just can’t seem to give up my ice cream addiction. I was discussing this with one of my more health-conscious friends recently, and he shared a little secret with me: how to make banana ice cream using just frozen bananas! Simply place a couple of ripe bananas in the freezer for a few hours and then process them (love my new Cuisinart food processor) until smooth and creamy. To make it even easier, I peeled the bananas, sliced them, and put them in a ziploc bag before freezing.

That’s it! Who knew something so easy (and healthy!) could be such an amazing treat?! Of course, you can always add a little peanut butter or chocolate if you so desire, but I’m telling you, the bananas on their own are sweet enough. It’s a great alternative to throwing away those bananas that are just a little too ripe for my taste. Plus, it gives me another great excuse to use my beautiful tangerine Cuisinart 3-cup food processor!