Dark Chocolate Truffles

I realized many things this weekend. First off, for weeks now I have been talking about this fantastic show on PBS Masterpiece Theater called Downton Abbey.

Only I was calling it DownTOWN Abbey. I even wrote an entire post about it, where I misspelled the name between proclamations of my undying love and why everyone should watch the show. I sort of want to go back and change it, but it's such a prime example of my occasional stupidity that I feel bad fixing it. Plus, I like evidence for my anecdotes.

I also made these fantastic truffles, and subsequently realized that if you have a dozen or so truffles chilling in your freezer, you will eat them. Most likely while huddled on your couch on a Sunday night watching Downton Abbey and realizing that you are incapable of spelling. The truffles help with that.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

1/4 cup whipping cream

5 oz semi sweet chocolate

1 tbsp butter, room temperature

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Bring the whipping cream to a boil. Stir in the chocolate and mix until incorporated. Stir in

the pad of butter and then pour into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure it comes into contact with ALL of the ganache. Put in the freezer for at least an hour.

Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl. Using a melon baller, scoop out small rounds of the thoroughly chilled ganache. Place the ganache ball on the tines of a fork and dip into the chocolate. Let harden on a cookie sheet covered with either parchment paper or tin foil. Keep refrigerated or frozen until serving.

Yes, I am willingly showing you all how messy my freezer is. Think of it as retribution for me annoying you to watch a show without knowing its proper spelling.

And hey--isn't today that day where people exchange cards and candy? I think they call it Valentines Day? Or Singles Awareness Day? Anyhoo, I'm spending mine by being in class all day and then watching TV with my leftover chili. Sexy.

You guys have any hot dates? Feel free to gush in the comments section and make me jealous.

Let Them Eat Cake

I don't make cakes very often. Living alone is part of the problem. You don't want to make a cake and then end up with half of it in your refrigerator. I've done this, and let me tell you, a big fat slice sounds pretty good when you're watching Netflix at eleven o'clock at night. And if you're rolling in around two in the morning? Yeah, that half of a cake will be gone before you even realize sugar and the aftertaste of stale beer don't mix.

So, Liz does not make cakes very often.

I had some friends over this weekend, though, which gave me the perfect excuse to break out my cake pans and get baking. The gathering was Valentines Day themed (complete with unapologetic viewings of schmoopy romantic comedies) so I made a love-filled-red velvet cake!

My attempt to be artsy in picture composition. Feel free to mock.

I was a little worried about this one because my oven decided to be a bit wonky, but it turned out really well. Also, apparently I have a signature when it comes to frosting cakes. My friend-who I've made a cake for before-walked into my apartment and went, "Liz, I can tell you frosted this cake. It looks just like the other one."

I don't completely know what this means, but I'm going to take it as a compliment.

Speaking of frosting, it is to die for. The frosting-a brown sugar cream cheese buttercream-was pretty fan-freaking-tastic. I almost ate it straight from the bowl. Actually, since we're all friends here, I did eat it straight from the bowl.

And the subsequent stomach ache was just lovely.

I also made some dark chocolate truffles to serve alongside the cake. Recipe to come!

The recipe for the cake is already posted HERE. It was my birthday cake over the summer :D

What did you guys do this weekend?

Cranberry Sauce

There are many good things to say about dorm life:

Community

Dining Halls

Elevator boys

Not even elevator boys, though, can redeem my dorm from the pesky nuisance that is the room below me. This room has a girl who happens to plays the violin. At all hours of the day and night. For the past two nights I have been woken up at midnight by off-tune scales.

I will feed my irritation with a holiday classic.

Cranberry Sauce

1 lb fresh cranberries

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 5-7 minutes until the cranberries begin to pop.

Take off heat and let cool. The finished cranberry sauce should still be a bit chunky. I generally eat it cold, but that just may be a weird eating habit of mine.

Costumes and Halloween Candy Bark

I lloooovvveee Halloween. Yes, I may be 20. And does this mean I should be a bit more mature? Sure. But I am still dressing up!

The costumes?

Well, since I am terrible at keeping secrets I'll just let it slip:

Rachel Berry (Glee)

AND Lucy Ricardo

Two costumes for a weekend of spook-tastic entertainment ;-)

My original idea was Rachel Berry but I went costume shopping with a friend and when I saw the Lucy costume I just couldn't say no. I mean, it has a red wig that will completely clash with my brown eyebrows. How could I say no?

Anyway, since I am in the Halloween spirit I wanted to make some treats to bring to my friends and I found the perfect thing!

Halloween Candy Bark

Ingredients:

1 lb semisweet chocolate

4 Butterfingers coarsely chopped

4 Heath bars coarsely chopped

8 Reeses Peanut Butter Cups chopped

3 oz Peanut M&Ms

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with foil. In a microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate in 20 second increments. Makes sure to watch it so that it doesn't burn!

Pour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth out with a spoon. Sprinkle the chopped candy over the chocolate, pressing it down gently so it will adhere.

Put in the refrigerator and let it set for at least one hour. When it is hardened peel off the foil and break into irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Question: What are you going as for Halloween?? I want to hear all of your costume ideas!