Malted Chocolate Easter Cake

Woah! Here it is nearly Easter already! It is Good Friday to be specific. So anyone who knows me, knows that today I am baking my Apple Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns.

They are so tasty and if you bake them on Good Friday, they actually have some magical properties. With the year we’ve had, I need all the magic I can get! But let me focus on today’s recipe. And ya’ll…it is soooo amazing! I give you Malted Chocolate Easter Cake!

This cake has got it all. Most importantly it is absolutely delicious, but it is also not too hard on the eyes either! The malted chocolate cake is so rich and moist.

The frosting, which is my favorite Swiss Meringue Buttercream, is so silky and creamy.

But it doesn’t stop there, no. It is adorned with my one of my favorite Easter treats, Robin Eggs, which are malted milk balls dressed up to look like, well… Robin Eggs.

And taking a cue from them, the cake itself is reminiscent of a robin’s egg with it’s pale blue frosting bespeckled with cocoa. Good looks and great taste!

In past years, I have been on a roll (ha ha – you’ll get it with the next few words) making Easter Breads (get it? roll…bread…) from around the world. Last year I gave you Polish Babka.

And the year before was Cozonac – Romanian Easter Bread.

Don’t forget my  Italian Easter Bread:

Or that amazing Tsoureki from Greece:

There was the Slovak Paska:

And then quite a few years ago, I tried my hand at this impressive Russian Kulich:

That is a whole lot of Easter bread huh? But ya’ll this Malted Chocolate Cake tempted me to stray from my chosen Easter bread path! It all started when good friends of ours (shout out to Stephen & Julie – thank you so much!) gave us Joanne Chang’s new cookbook, Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes. Chef Chang is the owner of Flour Bakery as well as a James Beard award winner for Outstanding Baker. In her new book, she shares her best-loved cookies, cakes and confections from Flour Bakery and Cafe. It is chock full of gorgeous photos and very approachable recipes. She is able to eloquently explain some of the more difficult baking techniques in an easy to follow, friendly manner. You should definitely check it out. It was here that I first saw this Malted Chocolate Cake and instantly knew that we were destined for one another.

Seriously, I cannot get enough of that roasted, caramelized malted flavor!

This cake does require quite a few steps, but you can easily break them up over the span of several days. The vanilla syrup and chocolate speckle can be made days in advance. The cakes can be baked on another. The frosting on the next, you get it. Then there is just assembly on the day you want to serve it.

I will say that speckle took a bit of practice to get down. Use an old fashioned, bristle pastry brush rather than a silicone one. But overall it was pretty dang easy and believe you me, soooo worth it!

The husband isn’t usually one for chocolate desserts. But even he could not resist this Malted Chocolate Easter Cake and has already had a couple of pieces! That is high praise indeed! I hope everyone has a very Happy Easter!

• Servings: one 8
• Difficulty: easy
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recipe from: Pastry Love by Joanne Chang

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 210 grams (1 1/2 cups) malted milk powder
• 175 grams (1 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted after measuring
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 200 grams ( 1 cup) sugar
• 2 large eggs ( about 100 grams) at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk (about 20 grams) at room temperature
• 110 grams (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (such as canola)
• 240 grams (1 cup) whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Malted Milk Frosting (recipe noted below)

Vanilla Syrup (recipe noted below)

Chocolate Speckle (recipe noted below)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325° F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottoms of two 8″ cake pans with parchment paper circles. Spray the sides lightly with pan spray or very lightly brush with vegetable oil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the malted milk powder, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the sugar, whole eggs and egg yolk on medium hight speed until the mixture falls back onto itself in ribbons when you lift the whisk up. Turn the mixer to low and slowly drizzle in the oil. Turn off the mixer and add about one third of the flour mixture. Turn the mixer on to the lowest speed and mix just until most of the flour mixture has been incorporated into the eggs, about 10 seconds. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the whisk. Add about half the milk along with the vanilla and turn the mixer back onto the lowest speed. Gently combine until most of the milk is mixed into the batter. stop the mixer and again scrape the bowl and the whisk. Add half the remaining flour mixture; mix on low until it’s mostly mixed in, then stop and scrape. Add the rest of the milk and mix again on low util it is mostly mixed in. Remove the bowl from the mixer , add the last of the flour mixture, and gently fold by hand with a rubber spatula until all of it is incorporated into the batter. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans midway through the baking time, until the cakes spring back when you poke them in the middle and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when you insert it into the middle of the cake. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool in the baking pans on a wire rack.

While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the frosting and vanilla syrup and set them aside.

Once the cakes are completely cool, run a small paring knife around the edges of the cakes and remove them from the pans. Peel off the parchment circles. trim the tops of the cakes to level them (they will have rounded a bit in the oven, and the scraps are your reward for your hard work so far). Place one cake on a large flat plate or serving platter or a rotating cake stand and use a pastry brush to brush and soak the cake with about half the vanilla syrup. Spoon about 1 cup of the frosting on top; use an offset spatula to spread it evenly to the edges of the cake. Carefully place the second cake upside down (for even, sharp edges on the final cake) on top of the first cake and soak with the remaining vanilla syrup. Spoon another 1 cup of the frosting on top of the cake. Spread the frosting to the edges of the cake and then down the sides, smoothing it as well as you can and covering the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting. This is called a crumb coat. It will keep loose crumbs from migrating to the surface of the finished cake. Refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes to set the crumb coat completely.

If you are making the cake for Easter and would like it to have that lovely robins egg hue, now is the time to add a few drops of food coloring to the remaining frosting. Fit a pastry bag with a star tip and fill it with all but about 1 cup of the frosting. Set aside.

Remove the cake from the fridge and spoon the remaining frosting on the cake; spread it every over the top and sides. This is the final finishing layer of frosting. Smooth the surface with an offset spatula dipped in hot water and dried off before using.

Make the chocolate speckle, if using. When you specks the cake, be sure to place the cake on a flat plate and place the on large empty work surface covered in plastic or parchment paper so cleanup is easier. Dip four fingers into the speckle and use a pastry brush to quickly and firmly flick and hit the chocolate off your fingers i the direction of the cake to create random spots, to mimic a robin’s egg. (Test this in the kitchen sink at first so you get the movement down.)

If the cake is not already on a serving platter, carefully transfer it to one. Pipe a border of frosting along the top or the bottom edge of the cake, or both. Decorate with Robin Eggs malted milk ball candy if you prefer.

The frosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Vanilla Syrup

Ingredients:

• 120 grams (1/2 cup) water
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool before using.

The syrup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge indefinitely.

Chocolate Speckle

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted after measuring

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with 2 T. of water until smooth. The speckle will be a thing paste, no runny and not thick like speckle either, but somewhere in between.

Speckle can be stored in a airtight container in the fridge indefinitely. It is easiest to use when chilled. Rewhisk before using.

Malted Milk Frosting

Ingredients:

• 135 grams (2/3 cup) superfine sugar
• 2 large egg whites ( about 1/4 cup or 60 grams) at room temperature
• 455 grams (2 cups or 4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 420 grams(3 1/2 cups) confectioners sugar
• 105 grams (3/4 cup) malted milk powder
• 2 Tablespoons whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ( I used vanilla paste & prefer it – plus the vanilla bean specks in it add to the speckled robins egg appearance)
• pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

In a medium metal of heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the superfine sugar and egg whites to make a thick slurry. Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water, make sure the pot is small enough the the bowl sits above the water and not directly touching it, or you may end up with scrambled egg whites. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is hot to the touch, 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour the sugar-egg white mixture into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium high for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture cools. Add the butter bit by bit and whip on medium until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. Add the confectioners’ sugar, malted milk powder, milk, vanilla, and salt and whip on medium until the frosting is smooth and satiny.

The frosting can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Before using, let it sit out at room temperature for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight. Place the frosting in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until it smooths out again. It will look broken (curdled and very lumpy, possibly even separated with some liquid seeping out) for a while until it warms up, but don’t panic – just keep beating it and be patient.

Enjoy!

“This recipe was featured on Twinkl as part of their Easter Bakes campaign.”

Links for helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Malted Chocolate Easter Cake:

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

Wilton Cake Leveler

Ateco disposable piping bags

King Arthur Bensdorp Dutch Process Cocoa Powder

Carnation Malted Milk Powder or King Arthur Malted Milk Powder

Vanilla Bean Paste

Mini Robin Eggs Candy

Wilton Icing Colors – Gel will not thin icing

Pastry Love by Joanne Chang – LOVE this cookbook!

Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte

So I gotta ask….are there any Nutella fans out there? Cause let me tell you I love me some Nutella! I actually didn’t even know it existed until I was living in Ireland and my friend Theresa had a jar. I watched with amazement as she spread it over her toast. I was like “What! You can eat chocolate on toast!” I had no idea it was a thing. Yup, love at first bite. And Biscoff? Well I first encountered those little Biscoff cookies when an air host handed me a packet for a snack when I was on a flight. I loved them. At first I thought maybe it was just because I didn’t have very high expectations for any snack given out on a flight, but then they magically appeared in grocery stores and I found that I also enjoyed them when I wasn’t a captive audience, shoehorned into a tiny uncomfortable little seat.

When I found out that there was a cookie butter version that I could spread on toast, I cannot tell you how excited I was! This amazing treat that I’m going to tell you about today features both Nutella and Biscoff – both the cookies and the cookie butter AND it is not only malted but it is also salted!!! GET. OUT!!! So without further ado (insert drum roll here) – I present the magnificent Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte! Just look at this big boy!

This treat has got it all going on – Three – that’s right I said THREE – layers of oooey, gooey chocolatey brownies interspersed with malted Nutella & Biscoff-y goodness, all frosted with salted Biscoff frosting, further adorned with malted milk balls

and Biscoff cookie crumbs

and finally lightly sprinkled with Maldon sea salt flakes. Are you drooling yet? You should be!

It is not by chance that I’m blogging a recipe which features Nutella today. Today February 5th is World Nutella Day. This celebration of all things Nutella was started in 2007 by Sara at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle at Bleeding Espresso as a day to celebrate, get creative with and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.

A couple of years ago, the founders have transferred Nutella Day to Ferrero the companywho owns that most beloved spread. Take a peek at their Facebook page and see how folks are celebrating the day! I love Nutella so I usually try to participate with a Nutella laden recipe every year. One of my favorite Nutella creations was this Nutella, Double Chocolate & Banana Tart which was quite stunning if I do say so myself.

Last year I gave you this gorgeous Nutella Star Bread:

And there was the amazing Nutella Chocolate Chip Babka:

And for quite a few years I was on a cookie streak. I made some Nutella Sea Salt Stuffies:

And there were these irresistible Salted Peanut Butter & Nutella Sandwich Cookies – sweet salty bliss I tell you!

I was still loving the salty / sweet thing when I blogged about  Salted & Malted Nutella Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies. These cookies feature silky, decadent Nutella, creamy caramel, nostalgic malted goodness and rich chocolate chips, all rolled up together in a crunchy chewy salted cookie.

Yeah quite obviously I have a malted, as well as a sweet salty flavor obsession. So it is easy to see why I chose this year’s Nutella Day offering: Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte. This is undeniably one impressive looking cake!

Needless to say, this decadent treat is truly rich. So slice it thinly and serve with whipped cream and maybe a tall glass of milk. There will be enough to feed an army I tell you!

Although there are several steps, this amazing creation comes together quite easily. You can make up the various components over several days and then put them all together rather quickly right before whatever gathering at which you hoping to amaze folks with your baking prowess. So what are you waiting for? Step one – eat some Nutella. Step two –  eat even more Nutella while making this jaw-dropping indulgence! And have a Happy Nutella Day!

• Servings: 0ne 8
• Difficulty: easy - but several steps
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recipe from: Heather Baird of Sprinkle Bakes

Ingredients:

For the Brownie Layers;

• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 6 ounces unsweetened baker’s chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

For the Malted Nutella & Biscoff Layers:

• 6 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1 cup (about 9 oz.) Biscoff spread
• 1 cup (about 9 oz.) Nutella spread
• 1/2 cup malted milk powder
• 1/2 cup butter, melted, divided
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, divided

For the Salted Biscoff Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (about 9 oz.) Biscoff spread
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
• 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

For the Nutella Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup (about 9 oz.) Nutella spread
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream

For Assembly:

• 15 chocolate malt balls
• 6 Biscoff cookies, pulverized
• Maldon flake salt for garnish

Directions:

For the Brownie Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla, flour, salt and baking soda.
Pour into three greased and floured 9-inch (or 8″) round baking pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans; remove from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap or store in air-tight containers until needed.

For the Malted Nutella & Biscoff Layers:

Line two round 9-inch (or 8″) pans with plastic wrap (the same ones used to make the brownie layers, if possible).

Biscoff Layer: Mix together 3 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 cup Biscoff and 4 tablespoons melted butter in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mixture will be crumbly. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes consistent workable dough. It should not be crumbly or stick to your fingers. The mixture should hold together easily when a small amount is squeezed tight in the palm of your hand. Press the dough evenly into one of the lined pans. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Malted Nutella Layer: Mix together 1 cup Nutella, malted milk and remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar slowly. About 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until each addition is incorporated before adding the next. Mixture will be crumbly. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes consistent workable dough. It should not be crumbly or stick to your fingers. The mixture should hold together easily when a small amount is squeezed tight in the palm of your hand. Press the dough evenly into the remaining lined pan. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

For the Salted Biscoff Frosting: Combine the butter and Biscoff in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar slowly, about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until each addition is incorporated before adding the next. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is thick and fluffy; add the salt and whip again. Scrape down the bowl and beat for 2 minutes longer, or until the salt is well dispersed throughout the batter.

For the Nutella Frosting: Beat the butter and Nutella in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar slowly – no more than 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until it is incorporated before adding the next 1/4 cup. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large closed star piping tip.

For the Assembly: Place a brownie layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Turn out the Nutella candy layer on top of the brownie; top with another brownie layer. Turn out the Biscoff layer onto the brownie layer and top with the final brownie layer. Frost the entire cake with the salted Biscoff frosting, using an offset spatula to swirl the icing. Pipe 12 to 14 rosettes of Nutella frosting on the top edge of the cake. Garnish each with a malt ball. Place the cake on a baking sheet and gently toss pulverized cookies onto the bottom edge of the cake, allowing the excess to fall onto the baking sheet. Finally garnish the top of the cake with Maldon flake salt.

Store the cake covered at room temperature

Enjoy!

Links for helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte:

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

Biscoff Cookie Butter Spread

Biscoff Cookies

Nutella Spread

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Premium Dark Chocolate Malt Balls – these look great, but truth be told I used Whoppers on my cake.

Sea Salt Sweet by Heather Baird – The recipe for Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte is from the Sprinkle Bakes blog by Heather Baird. If you love that salty/sweet flavor combination like I do, you will love Heather’s “Sea Salt Sweet” cookbook. This book is a treasure trove of recipes for the salty sweet lover!

 

 

 

Malted Guinness Chocolate Ice Cream with Malted Milk Balls

Did someone say Ice Cream? I know it’s been extraordinarily cold this winter, but those frigid temps outside have not done a thing to put me off of that most wonderful frozen confection. And this ice cream definitely has my name written all over it…Malted Guinness Chocolate Ice Cream with Malted Milk Balls. What?!!! I love malted milk balls. Seriously. I can eat them by the bushel full I’d say whether they are Whoppers like we have here in Virginia or my favourite Maltesers that are found in Ireland. Some of my favourite desserts from the past were chock full of Malted Milk Balls Like this Malteser Chocolate Cookie Tart from a couple of St. Patrick’s Days ago.

Oh and then more recently there were these Malted and Salted Buttered Popcorn Cookies.

Yup, any dessert sporting a malted milk ball will instantly get my attention and most likely ever lasting devotion. And this Ice Cream is no exception. Another thing that I really love about this ice cream is the Guinness. Guinness really gives this chocolate ice cream the most amazing flavour. Guinness pretty much does that. I love desserts baked with Guinness, I love meats braised in Guinness, but….and now it’s time for a true confession moment…I don’t really like drinking a pint of Guinness. (shock! horror!) A sip is good, but if I drink a whole pint, I feel as though I’ve eaten a loaf of bread. I’m kind of done for the evening. But boy do I get excited when I see that it is being used as an ingredient in a recipe. Always a winner!

And in this ice cream it works to accent the chocolate flavor. So what you end up with is an incredibly creamy, rich, decadent chocolatey ice cream with a nostalgic malted taste and the occasional thrillingly satisfying crunch of a malted milk ball. Be still my heart! Ice Cream perfection!

• Servings: Makes 1 Quart Ice Cream
• Difficulty: easy
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recipe from: Picky Cook

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
•  pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup Guinness Stout
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon malt powder
• 5 ounce of malted milk balls (like Whoppers or Maltesers), roughly chopped

Directions:

Place the milk chocolate in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over low – medium low heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour a bit of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper and whisk constantly. Continue adding warm milk to the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Once egg yolks have tempered, add the yolk/milk mixture back into the saucepan.

Raise the heat to medium and stir with a heatproof spatula. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.

Pour the milk/yolk mixture through the strainer into the milk chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Once the mixture is smooth, whisk in the cream, followed by the Guinness, vanilla, espresso powder and malt powder.

Once mixture has cooled to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it to the surface of the liquid. Place in refrigerator overnight.

On the following day, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the final 5 minutes or so of churning, add in the chopped malted milk balls.

Put into container and place in freezer.

Enjoy!

Malted Guinness Chocolate Ice Cream with Malted Milk Balls brought to you by: Runcible Eats (www.leaandjay.com)

 

 

 

 

Malted & Salted Buttered Popcorn Cookies

Malted & Salted Buttered Popcorn Cookies! Were so many delicious words ever strung together? I mean you just know these cookies have got it all going on. I love anything malted, salted tells me I’ll get my sweet/salty fix, and buttered popcorn? I can barely contain myself! And my reaction to the words “buttered popcorn” doesn’t even register next to the husband’s. Oh my Lordy in heaven! He loves him some popcorn. I am not kidding you that our popcorn popper is in high use nearly every night. In all honesty, he wants popcorn about 4 -5 times a week. Well, let me re-phrase that…he eats popcorn 4-5 nights a week. I think he wants popcorn every single day of the year! So you can just imagine the fabulous wife points I got when I sashayed on out of the kitchen and sidled up next to him with a plate full of these stunners in my hands! And it’s not just the idea of them that is good. You know how sometimes you get an idea of a flavour combination that you think will be killer but when you actually make it, it kind of falls short? Not happening here. These cookies are really quite remarkable and unique. Each bite delivers a crispy crunch as well as a malted chewy chocolatey blast. And when you a get a bite that just happens to have that little extra buttery surprize popcorn piece, well it’s nothing short of sheer bliss!

I initially came across this recipe in one of my all time favourite cookbooks, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, by Deb Perelman. I had taken note and was planning on baking up a batch of those cookies. But Deb hadn’t added malted milk balls to her version. Then I saw that enhancement to the Smitten recipe over at Sift and Whisk. I really love malted milk balls so their addition certainly made it a winner for me. The only problem I had with the Sift and Whisk version was that it called for using microwave popcorn. Uh-ohh! That was a deal breaker. I really do not like microwave popcorn and as much as the husband loves popcorn, even he would turn his nose up at the microwave variety. Call us crazy. Whatever…There really is a big taste difference between microwave and stove top corn, so much so that we sort of consider it a different animal altogether. I know microwave popcorn is supposedly easy. But really…how hard is it to pop up some corn with a glug of good old oil right on top of your stove? We actually have a Whirley-pop stove top popcorn popper that has a hand-crank on top to allow you to stir the corn kernels while they pop. Yup, if you stop by and wander into my kitchen, I’m pretty sure you’ll see it in permanent residency on my stove top. (remember…the husband is popping corn about 5x a week). But if you don’t have that level of specialty popping equipment, don’t despair. Just grab any old big pot with a lid, and shake it a bit while the kernels are popping. It is so much tastier than that old microwave stuff. And don’t even think to ask my husband about the differences in popping oil, you know olive oil vs. coconut oil vs. peanut oil, unless you’ve got awhile because he can go on and on about it. Consider yourself warned…But anyway, back to these Malted & Salted Buttered Popcorn Cookies.

Bottom line is that you’ve just got to make them. I can honestly say, it is one of the few cookies I’ve ever seen my husband eat more than two of at a sitting. Remember, he likes those fruit desserts and couldn’t really care less about chocolate (shock, horror). But he came back to the cookie jar several times the evening these babies showed up. Actions speak louder than words so that should tell you something!

• Servings: 24 cookies
• Difficulty: easy
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recipe from: sift and whisk &  The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup (45 grams) popcorn kernels
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter, melted
• 1¼ cup (155 grams) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup (109 grams) light brown sugar, packed
• ⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (100 grams) roughly chopped malted milk balls
• coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make popcorn. Pour the oil over the bottom of a large dutch oven that has a lid or a Whirley-pop stove top popcorn popper. Add the popcorn kernels. Cover the pot and heat it over medium- high heat. Once you hear the kernels beginning to pop, keep agitating or stirring the pan until you no longer hear the popping noise. Pour the melted butter over the popped corn and then sprinkle with the salt. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and separate out any unpopped or partially popped kernels. You should have about 4 -4 1/2 cups of popped corn.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add egg and vanilla. Beat for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until egg is totally mixed in. With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add flour mixture, and stop mixing when there is still a little flour visible.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Fold the buttered popcorn into the dough taking care not to crush the popcorn completely. When popcorn is almost evenly distributed, add chopped malted milk balls (even the dust!), and fold into the dough.

Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing each dough ball at least 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the tops of each dough ball with coarse sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn light brown.

Allow to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will deflate a little once they come out of the oven, and will end up thin, with crispy edges and chewy centers.

Enjoy!

Malted & Salted Buttered Popcorn Cookies brought to you by: Runcible Eats (http://www.leaandjay.com )

 

 

 

White Chocolate Malted Mousse Cake

Whoo – wee! Is it Easter time already?! Hard to believe it, but it is indeed. I have had an entire month off since my St. Patrick’s Day blogapalooza and have still yet barely recovered. And believe you me, my waist line has not yet managed to get back to normal either. Yup… the old britches are fitting a bit tighter these days. Nothing to be done about it I suppose but some diligent exercising and calorie counting….which I will start right after the Easter holidays, I promise  (wink, wink) . Because no, I can’t start now…not since two of my favourite candy treats spring up like weeds in all of the stores around Easter. I’m talking about those crack-like Cadbury Mini Eggs and those adorable speckled Robin Egg malted milk candies. Now I’m usually pretty strong-willed, but faced with the trial of seeing those delicious treats everywhere this time of year, all of my dieting resolve simply crumbles. So I just won’t set myself up for failure and the calorie restriction will simply have to wait for a few days. Last year I gave into temptation and purchased one (or was it two…or maybe three…) bags of those Robin Eggs and made Robin Egg Rice Krispie Treats, which were not only quick and easy to make, but also a wonderfully yummy snack. And this year, finding a bag of those mini Robin’s Eggs lurking about on my kitchen counter, I whipped up this gorgeous White Chocolate Malted Mousse Cake for our Easter festivities. Talk about temptation! It has so many of my favourite things in it – a crunchy shortbread/cashew crust filled with creamy malted white chocolate mousse which is adorned with Robins Egg malted candies – clearly an irresistible indulgence!

This festive dessert is very easy to make, you just have to keep in mind that it does need a bit of chill time in the fridge. But no worries. You should pour yourself a glass of wine and have a bit of chill time for yourself while you wait. Your patience will be rewarded many times over when you take your first bite of this sinfully decadent dessert. You may have to spend a bit longer in the confessional (Bless me Father…) but sure you’ll be headed off to Mass anyway…right? Happy Easter Everyone!

White Chocolate Malted Mousse Cake

recipe slightly adapted from: A Family Feast

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• 6 ounces shortbread cookies
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Mousse:

• 2 ounces white chocolate
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope unflavoured gelatin
• 2 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons plain malted milk powder
• Robin’s Egg malted milk candies for garnish (I used the mini Robin Eggs)

Directions:

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the cookies and cashews in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb consistency is reached. Add the melted butter and pulse again to combine.

Pour crumbs into the bottom of a 9″ springform pan and press down to form an even layer over the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown around the edges.

Cool the crust completely in the springform pan on a wire rack.

For the Mousse:

In a small saucepan, combine the white chocolate and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream. Stirring constantly, heat until the chocolate fully melts. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Pour the milk into a small, wide microwave-safe bowl. Very slowly sprinkle the gelatin over the milk, allowing the gelatin to begin to absorb the milk before sprinkling more over the top. (To avoid creating lumps of gelatin it is important that you not only have a wide surface area of milk but that you also sprinkle that gelatin ever so slowly, allowing it to absorb before adding the next layer). Allow the gelatin and milk to sit undisturbed (don’t stir) until the gelatin is fully softened – about 3 to 4 minutes.

Microwave the gelatin milk mixture at 50% power until the gelatin completely melts. ( Heat in slow intervals, about 10 seconds at a time, taking care not to scald the milk) Once the gelatin dissolves, stir it into the white chocolate mixture. Set aside to cool, but stir often. It will begin to thicken.

While the chocolate mixture cools, in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, salt and malted milk powder until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the cooled and thickened white chocolate/gelatin mixture, stirring until combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, whip the remaining heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture by hand until blended.

Spoon the mousse over the cooled crust, spreading evenly in the pan. Refrigerate until firm – at least 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan. Decorate with Robins Egg malted candies.

Enjoy!

Robin Egg Rice Krispie Treats

Wow! Time flies! Seems like I just finished my St. Patrick’s Day blogging extravaganza and here it is nearly Easter! Again, my hat is off to all of you daily bloggers out there. I just took a week off to recover from my 17 day stint at it and I still feel a bit wobbly about the whole thing. I thought I’d ease back into the saddle today with a great Easter recipe that is also really easy to make. Robin Egg Rice Krispie Treats are just what they sound like, yummy Rice Krispie Treats with extra malt flavouring and one of my favourite Easter candies, Robin Eggs! For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Robin Eggs, they are made by Whoppers and are egg-shaped malted milk balls covered in pastel speckled candy shells. I love Robin Eggs and am so thrilled when they finally show up in the stores. The only Easter candy that lands above Robin Eggs as far as I’m concerned are Cadbury Mini Eggs. Oh my God! Don’t get me going about those little devils. Addictive, like crack. I literally can’t stop once a bag is opened. I haven’t reached that level with the Robin Eggs, though it may not be far off. I did polish off a bag of them the other day while working on taxes (better a bag of candy than a bottle of wine when tax preparation is concerned). I had one more bag left, so I figured I better do something with them pronto. That’s when I remembered seeing Sweet Southern Blue’s post about these Robin Egg Rice Krispie Treats, so I got right to work. Not that it’s a lot of work, I must admit. I can get a pan of Krispie Treats done and dishes washed in about 15 minutes flat. And I’ve gotta say, it is pretty awesome that you can make such a classic, delicious, crowd pleasing snack at the drop of a hat!

Sweet Southern Blue makes use of her microwave to melt the marshmallows. I’m still an old-fashioned top of the stove gal and prefer to use the mini marshmallows over the big fellas. My husband and I both like to find the occasional whole unmelted mini marshmallow scattered throughout our treats, so I always hold back a handful or two of them to throw into the melted marshmallow butter mix along with the cereal. And I decided to use the mini version of Robin Eggs, also reserving a few whole eggs from being chopped to decorate the top of the treats. Of course the big version of Robin Eggs would work perfectly well, you just might need to do a bit more crushing prior to adding them into the mix. These treats would be great to make with the kids before Easter or a good way to use up Easter candy afterwards. Indeed, this recipe is certainly adaptable to whatever left over candy is on hand (sorry…what exactly is left over candy?!). Not matter what ingredients you choose, before you know it, these adorable treats will be made and your family singing your praises. I mean who doesn’t like a Rice Krispie treat, and with Robin Eggs to boot…what a winner!

Robin Egg Rice Krispie Treats

recipe adapted from: Sweet Southern Blue

Yield: 12 squares

Ingredients:

• 10.4 oz bag of mini marshmallows or 7oz container of marshmallow cream
• 3 Tablespoons of butter
• 4 cups of Rice Krispies cereal
• 2 cups mini Robin Egg malted milk balls, roughly chopped
  
• ¼ cup malted milk powder

Directions:

Butter a 8×8″ pan. Set aside.

In a saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows (remember to hold back a few if you like seeing the occasional whole unmelted marshmallow) and stir until completely melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and add the malted milk powder stirring until combined.

Add the Rice Krispie cereal and chopped Robin Eggs (as well as any reserved marshmallows). Mix until well coated.

Using a buttered spatula, press mixture into prepared pan.

Cool and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Malt Banana Ice Cream

It’s still hot and I’ve finished off all of our Key Lime Pie Ice Cream! What’s a girl to do? I’ve certainly given up on the fantasy of getting cooler weather around here any time soon, sooo……I guess I just have to make more ice cream! This time I made a deliciously fun Chocolate Malt Banana Ice Cream. Yum, yum!

Everyone knows that the banana and chocolate combination is a tried and true winner. I’m sure I don’t even need to say anything more about that. The addition of malted milk gives it that wonderful old-timey, soda fountain-y vibe. The crunchy Whopper/Malteser topping perfects this dessert for me. Not to mention, it’s good and frozen, which earns it a whole bunch of points in this record-breaking hot and humid summer. I tell you, if the mercury doesn’t take a dive soon, I might have some trouble fitting into my Fall britches! But I’ll worry about that later. In the meantime, fix me up another scoop of that Ice Cream!

Chocolate Malt Banana Ice Cream

recipe from: A Farmgirl’s Dabbles

yield: 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 1 c. whole milk
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 2 c. heavy cream, divided
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 c. chocolate malt powder
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 c. mashed very ripe banana
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• malted milk balls, roughly crushed, for sprinkling over top

Directions:

Prepare an ice bath by adding a good amount of ice cubes to a large bowl and then adding some cold water. Set aside.

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove pan from heat.

In a large bowl, combine remaining 1 cup of cream and chocolate malt powder. Set a mesh strainer over the top of the bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. It’s now a custard. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream and malt powder. Add the vanilla and then set the bowl in the prepared ice bath. Stir the custard until it is no longer warm. Then place the custard in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, about an hour.

Just before you are ready to churn the custard, combine the mashed banana with lemon juice. Place mixture in refrigerator.

When ready to churn the custard, pour it into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is thickened and mostly finished, stir in the cold banana mixture and churn for a few more minutes to completely combine.

Put ice cream into the freezer for 1-2 hours to firm up a bit prior to serving. Serve garnished with crushed malted milk balls.

Enjoy!

Malteser Chocolate Cookie Tart

And on the 7th Day of my St. Patrick’s Day recipes, I did not rest. No siree! You know what they say about no rest for the wicked? And wicked I was because on day 7, I made a Malteser Chocolate Cookie Tart for your enjoyment (and perhaps mine as well, since I got to actually gobble it all up)! What are Maltesers? They are the brand of malted milk balls found in Ireland. Just like “Whoppers” that are sold here in the States, except Maltesers come in both milk chocolate and white chocolate.

They were a favourite of mine while living in Ireland and luckily I can occasionally find them here in Virginia at my local Giant. If you can’t find the Malteser brand, just go ahead and use good old Whoppers. But definitely make this tart whatever you do! The first reason to do so is that it is very easy to make. Once you’ve baked the cookie dough base, you sprinkle chocolate chips over it while it is still hot from the oven.

Once the chips have melted, you just spread that molten chocolate evenly over the cookie base and then scatter the crushed malted milk balls over the top.

The second reason to make this tart is that not only does it come together nearly effortlessly, but it truly is fantastically delicious. The tart base is a buttery, chewy, chocolate malted cookie. Perched on top of all that yumminess is a rich sea of dark chocolatey bliss topped off with crunchy malted milk balls.

Oh..my…God!!! This dessert tastes every bit as good as it looks! Folks (and pups…) won’t be able to take their eyes off of it,

until it is completely devoured…which won’t take long I assure you.

Malteser Chocolate Cookie Tart

recipe from FoodBabbles

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup malted milk powder ( I used Chocolate Malted milk powder)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon (scant) coarse kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (do not exceed 61% cacao)
• 1/2 cup Maltesers milk balls (or Whoppers), coarsely chopped and additional milk balls for decoration

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a food processor, pulse the flour, malted milk powder, sugar, and coarse salt. Add the butter and pulse until moist clumps form.

Transfer dough to work surface; gather into ball. Press evenly onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.

Bake crust until evenly golden brown, about 25 minutes. Scatter chocolate chips over the cookie crust. Let chips stand 5 minutes to soften, then spread melted chocolate over hot crust in the well that forms as center sinks.

Sprinkle crushed Maltesers over the tart.

Cool completely. Remove tart from pan; cut into wedges.

Enjoy!