I know, I know! I haven’t posted anything in a while, but it really has been crazy around here!
We are getting a dog ( on top of everything), so beware 🙂 I’ll post a lot of pictures of the little rascal when we bring him home on Nov, 8th 🙂
I am desperate to start working on my project for the October Cake Challenge, because it is a very demanding and difficult structure ( why would I do something easy, right 🙁 ) and it will take a lot of time, but I still haven’t received the tools I ordered, so I have no idea when I am going to be ready with it! People started already sending pictures, and I have just a drawing on a napkin and a fair idea what it would look like.
Now, in order for you to forgive me, here is a recipe I am in love with! 🙂

Now, I am not ” Bon Appetit”( the magazine) kind of person, but I’ve won a subscription for it a while ago. So here is a recipe that I took from the magazine. I’ve made a couple of changes that make it different enough( and better) from the original.
First of all I didn’t have enough chocolate (shame on me) at home, something that almost never happens to me, second of all I’ve been experimenting with raw chocolate chips for some time, and in my opinion, this one just hit the jackpot!

Ingredients:
1/2 cups +4 tbsp white sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp instant espresso powder
2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
4 cups whole milk
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips( you can use semi-sweet chocolate, just cut on the sugar!)
1 cup raw chocolate chips
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberries, nuts, whatever you would like to add as a garnish. You can use whipping cream as well, I just didn’t have any at the time.
Makes 8-10 ramekins

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, espresso powder and cocoa in a heavy saucepan to blend. Add gradually the milk and stir well until the espresso is dissolved. Add the bittersweet chocolate chips and stir over medium heat until the chocolate chips melts.

In a cup place the raw chocolate chips and water then heat in a microwave for 1-2 minutes or until the water changes color to dark brown.
Add to the cornstarch mixture and stir well. Have in mind, that raw chips will stay in whole pieces, although it will soften. It develops quite pleasant texture in my opinion.

Add the butter and vanilla extract and stir until the blend thickens.

Divide mixture in serving glasses or ramekins, cover up and chill until cold ( about 2-3 hours).
Garnish to taste, serve cold.

I would add it goes amazingly with a glass of brandy 😉
Enjoy