The last couple days I have had a craving for chocolate. Could not really pinpoint what type or even what form. I knew that the Symphony Brownies did not really tackle the situation-I made them for a get together on Sunday. While yummy, not quite what I was looking for. While looking thru Simply Sweet, I saw the recipe for the Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes which reminded me of the Truffle Brownie Cups.
"Bingo!" I thought "Truffle Brownie Cups are what I am looking for! The moist yet chewy brownie with delicious chocolate ganache topped with maraschino cherries." I quickly found the recipe & checked my cabinets for ingredients. Did not have heavy whipping cream which is ok because I have subbed in butter & milk before & the ganache came out just fine. No chocolate chips or baking chocolate but that is ok because I have a huge stash of chocolate Easter crosses in my freezer.
I know what you are thinking. "What in God's name is she doing with a huge stash of chocolate Easter crosses in her freezer?!" Well, last year I discovered that by purchasing chocolate seasonal candy after the holiday (Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day etc...) it cost less than if I bought chocolate chips. I use the solid chocolate in cookies or other recipes that have chocolate chunks/chips & have melted the chocolate for chocolate strawberries. And I have used the chocolate before in the TBC So, I figured I should be able to sub in with no problem. (BTW the kids enjoy unwrapping the candys & whacking them to make them in chunks )
I started the melting & mixing with great delight. As I was scooping the dough into the MMP, I noticed it seemed to 'act' differently than I remembered. Oh well, it has been months since I have made them so I obviously am mis-remembering. In the oven they go. The ganache was going good-kinda shiny & sweet smelling which is because I used Hershey chocolate. (Totally forgot I don't like Hershey chocolate-you would think I'd remember that important fact!)
The aroma of the brownies as they were baking was wonderful. Chocolate scent filled the air. My mouth salivating as I imagined eating the first bite. At last the timer went off. Pulled out the pan. Let it cool for two minutes then make the wells with wooden dent maker thing. Cool for a couple more minutes. Then using the citrus peeler I remove the first brownie cup. Well, I try to anyway. Apparently the cup did not cook thru all the way. Thats ok. Toss them back in the oven for a few more minutes. Stir the ganache. Ready my maraschino cherries. Tap foot a couple times. Clean up. At last I pull out the MMP. Yup, definitely done. However, they really did not want to come out-even though I used cooking spray. "But", I thought, "that's ok because as they cool, they will harden up more and be easier to remove."
Eagerly I scoop the ganache in the wells & add the cherries. Briefly consider putting them in the freezer to speed up the cooling process. Decide to put kids to bed (after all, it was after 8:30), do the laundry dance & straighten up the living room. After all, I find it much easier to relax when not sitting amid toys, jackets & children. Plus less chance of my glass of wine being spilled.
Finally! 30 minutes later, I citrus peeled the first cup out. Mouth drooling, I took the first bite. "Huh" I thought, "Maybe it has been too long since I made these. Does not taste right. Not very chewie. And the middle is all wrong. Must try another one."
Citrus Peeled out another. Anticipation of tasting the wonderful delight of chocolate had me drooling again. (Can you tell i am jonesing for chocolate?)
Nope. Same. It was not my taste buds. It was not because I had not made Truffle Brownie Cups since March. I knew it was not the heavy whipping cream substitution.
It was the chocolate. It was the Hershey chocolate. I have used seasonal chocolate before in the recipe. However, I usually don't buy Hersheys. I usually buy Dove & Nestle chocolate. I don't like Hershey Kisses unless they are dark & am picky about what kind of candy bars I buy. I figure if I am going to have chocolate, I should make it worth the extra calories and go for the good stuff. The only reason I bought the crosses was because they were 20 cents each. The lowest price I had seen. So I bought them.
My lesson learned? If I am making something for myself & all I have is Hersheys chocolate, I need to go to the store & get the good stuff!!!!!
"Bingo!" I thought "Truffle Brownie Cups are what I am looking for! The moist yet chewy brownie with delicious chocolate ganache topped with maraschino cherries." I quickly found the recipe & checked my cabinets for ingredients. Did not have heavy whipping cream which is ok because I have subbed in butter & milk before & the ganache came out just fine. No chocolate chips or baking chocolate but that is ok because I have a huge stash of chocolate Easter crosses in my freezer.
I know what you are thinking. "What in God's name is she doing with a huge stash of chocolate Easter crosses in her freezer?!" Well, last year I discovered that by purchasing chocolate seasonal candy after the holiday (Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day etc...) it cost less than if I bought chocolate chips. I use the solid chocolate in cookies or other recipes that have chocolate chunks/chips & have melted the chocolate for chocolate strawberries. And I have used the chocolate before in the TBC So, I figured I should be able to sub in with no problem. (BTW the kids enjoy unwrapping the candys & whacking them to make them in chunks )
I started the melting & mixing with great delight. As I was scooping the dough into the MMP, I noticed it seemed to 'act' differently than I remembered. Oh well, it has been months since I have made them so I obviously am mis-remembering. In the oven they go. The ganache was going good-kinda shiny & sweet smelling which is because I used Hershey chocolate. (Totally forgot I don't like Hershey chocolate-you would think I'd remember that important fact!)
The aroma of the brownies as they were baking was wonderful. Chocolate scent filled the air. My mouth salivating as I imagined eating the first bite. At last the timer went off. Pulled out the pan. Let it cool for two minutes then make the wells with wooden dent maker thing. Cool for a couple more minutes. Then using the citrus peeler I remove the first brownie cup. Well, I try to anyway. Apparently the cup did not cook thru all the way. Thats ok. Toss them back in the oven for a few more minutes. Stir the ganache. Ready my maraschino cherries. Tap foot a couple times. Clean up. At last I pull out the MMP. Yup, definitely done. However, they really did not want to come out-even though I used cooking spray. "But", I thought, "that's ok because as they cool, they will harden up more and be easier to remove."
Eagerly I scoop the ganache in the wells & add the cherries. Briefly consider putting them in the freezer to speed up the cooling process. Decide to put kids to bed (after all, it was after 8:30), do the laundry dance & straighten up the living room. After all, I find it much easier to relax when not sitting amid toys, jackets & children. Plus less chance of my glass of wine being spilled.
Finally! 30 minutes later, I citrus peeled the first cup out. Mouth drooling, I took the first bite. "Huh" I thought, "Maybe it has been too long since I made these. Does not taste right. Not very chewie. And the middle is all wrong. Must try another one."
Citrus Peeled out another. Anticipation of tasting the wonderful delight of chocolate had me drooling again. (Can you tell i am jonesing for chocolate?)
Nope. Same. It was not my taste buds. It was not because I had not made Truffle Brownie Cups since March. I knew it was not the heavy whipping cream substitution.
It was the chocolate. It was the Hershey chocolate. I have used seasonal chocolate before in the recipe. However, I usually don't buy Hersheys. I usually buy Dove & Nestle chocolate. I don't like Hershey Kisses unless they are dark & am picky about what kind of candy bars I buy. I figure if I am going to have chocolate, I should make it worth the extra calories and go for the good stuff. The only reason I bought the crosses was because they were 20 cents each. The lowest price I had seen. So I bought them.
My lesson learned? If I am making something for myself & all I have is Hersheys chocolate, I need to go to the store & get the good stuff!!!!!