Good morning, everyone! Fudge week is continuing here on Lemon & Mocha with this Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge. Similar to Monday’s variation, the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge introduces a tart element that pairs extremely well with the rich chocolate.

Sometimes in the fall and winter flavors can become really heavy so I love having a dessert with a bright fruitiness or acidity, which is exactly what we get with this Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge. I’ve taken our classic chocolate fudge base and added raspberry extract before topping it off with some freeze dried raspberries and mini semisweet chocolate chips.

If you’ve had the World’s Smoothest Chocolate Fudge then you know it’s quite rich in its chocolate flavor so it takes a bit to break through all that chocolateyness. The amount of raspberry extract and freeze dried raspberries we’re adding allows the fudge to balance the fine line of the raspberry flavor being present while being neither overpowering nor too subtle.

The reason we’re using freeze dried raspberries instead of fresh raspberries is because when they are freeze dried the flavor becomes more concentrated, which is exactly what we need in this recipe. Also, we’re able to get the raspberry flavor without any additional moisture that fresh fruit would bring. You can find freeze dried raspberries in quite a few stores; I’ve bought them in both Target and Trader Joe’s.

Don’t forget the mini semisweet chocolate chips on top! Since they’re just chocolate on top of more chocolate they don’t actually add any flavor nuances to this fudge, but they make it look even cuter between all the pops of red from the raspberries and adding a nice textural bit to the topping. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge

 

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Yield: 64 pieces

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ounce unsweetened Baker’s baking chocolate
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon raspberry extract
• Freeze dried raspberries for topping, about 3 tablespoons
• Mini semisweet chocolate chips for topping, about 3 tablespoons

Directions

1. Line an 8" x 8" pan with wax paper and set aside.
2. Double Boiler Method: If not using a double boiler, skip to the next step. Melt butter and the Baker’s chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Pour in half the bag of chocolate chips and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula to help melt. Once partially melted add the rest of the bag of chocolate chips and stir until fully melted. Carefully stir in the condensed milk to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the raspberry extract. Skip to step 4.
3. Saucepan Method: Melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a medium nonstick saucepan over low heat, stirring regularly with a heatproof spatula to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Let the mixture get a little warm then pour in half the bag of chocolate chips. Stir to help melt. Once partially melted add the rest of the bag of chocolate chips and stir until fully melted, being sure to scrape the bottom as you stir. Stir in the raspberry extract and remove from the heat.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Top with the freeze dried raspberries. Let cool very slightly then top with the mini chocolate chips. Press down lightly and refrigerate until the fudge is set. Once set cut into bite size pieces.

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Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

Fudge season is back! I know I posted the Dirt Fudge recipe this summer and talked about how fudge is delicious all year round, which is true, but it still peaks during the holiday season. I have a special 12 Days of Christmas Cookies planned so my holiday post schedule filled up quickly, which is why I’m sharing this Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Fudge recipe with you all when it’s still October.

It’s never too early to start planning holiday baking and treat gifting! In fact, to help you out I’m sharing brand new fudge recipes with you all week long. That’s three new epic fudge creations!

I’m kicking off Lemon & Mocha’s fudge week with something simple. I’ve taken Diane’s classic, tried-and-true, World’s Smoothest Chocolate Fudge and I’ve added some chopped pistachios and sweetened dried cranberries. The crunch of the pistachios plus the tartness of the dried cranberries are a perfect addition to this rich and creamy dark chocolate fudge. And, bonus, how cute do the little bits of red and green look for Christmas time?

I’ve always made fudge using a double boiler as that is how Diane taught me, but last year I had success using just a nonstick saucepan. I tested it out for quite a few batches and had positive results every time so I’ve included both the double boiler method and the saucepan method in the recipe below. I can’t wait for you all to experience the rest of Lemon & Mocha fudge week – the next two recipes are outrageous!

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Fudge

 

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Yield: 64 pieces

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ounce unsweetened Baker’s baking chocolate
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup shelled pistachios, chopped, plus more for topping
• ⅓ cup sweetened dried cranberries, plus more for topping

Directions

1. Line an 8" x 8" pan with wax paper and set aside.
2. Double Boiler Method: If not using a double boiler, skip to the next step. Melt butter and the Baker’s chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Pour in half the bag of chocolate chips and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula to help melt. Once partially melted add the rest of the bag of chocolate chips and stir until fully melted. Carefully stir in the condensed milk to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, the pistachios and the dried cranberries. Skip to step 4.
3. Saucepan Method: Melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a medium nonstick saucepan over low heat, stirring regularly with a heatproof spatula to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Let the mixture get a little warm then pour in half the bag of chocolate chips. Stir to help melt. Once partially melted add the rest of the bag of chocolate chips and stir until fully melted, being sure to scrape the bottom as you stir. Stir in the vanilla extract, the pistachios and the dried cranberries and remove from the heat.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Top with additional pistachios and dried cranberries, lightly press down.
5. Refrigerate until the fudge is set then cut into bite size pieces. Best eaten straight from the fridge.

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Lauren Uncategorized 5 Comments

We made it to Friday! Woo hoo! Time to celebrate with these Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Gorgonzola and Walnuts.

I’ve written about my large quantity of cookbook recipes I have yet to try, but I can’t remember if I’ve ever mentioned all my recipe binders here before. I have four enormous binders that are filled to the brim with recipes. Most of them contain recipes from magazines although one of them is devoted to recipes I’ve printed out. And you guessed it – most of them are waiting for me to try them!

I have a somewhat decent system where once I try one of the recipes if I like it then the recipe will usually end up on Lemon & Mocha so I can recycle the original. Of course, if I don’t like it then it immediately gets recycled. This way if I’m able to try some new recipes from the binder every once in a while I’m able to make room for all the new recipes I’m continually trying to shove in them. I figured I was long overdue in turning to my binders for some dinner inspiration. These roasted sweet potatoes from Cuisine at Home immediately caught my eye.

I love sweet potatoes, but I tend to simply roast them as wedges or bake them whole, which can get really boring. This recipe is just as easy, but adds an extra depth of flavor and richness to the potatoes. The sweet potato wedges are tossed in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and salt and pepper. The brown sugar creates a subtle sweetness and caramelization, while the balsamic vinegar provides the right amount of acidity.

Crunchy toasted walnuts and creamy gorgonzola crumbles get tossed on top as soon as the roasted wedges are out of the oven. I decided to toss half the cheese crumbles on top of the potatoes during the last minute of cooking so that some of them got nicely melted while the others I sprinkled on top after they were out of the oven held their shape more to add an additional textural element to the dish. This works well with blue cheese crumbles as well, which is what I used since that’s what was in my fridge. I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious sweet potato recipe!

Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Gorgonzola and Walnuts

 

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Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 sweet potatoes, about 16 ounces total
• Salt and pepper
• Toasted walnuts, for topping (see note)
• Gorgonzola crumbles, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in large bowl. Set aside.
3. Cut each sweet potatoes into 16 wedges. First, cut the sweet potato lengthwise. Then cut the sweet potato half into 4 long wedges. Cut each wedge in half to create 8 shorter wedges. Repeat for the other half of the sweet potato then repeat completely for the second sweet potato. Toss the sweet potato wedges in the bowl with the balsamic mixture. Place the wedges in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet then season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake the sweet potato wedges for 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until they are slightly caramelized and tender. Remove from the oven and immediately top with the toasted walnuts and gorgonzola crumbles before serving.

Notes

To toast walnuts, lay them on a single layer baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. Watch them carefully as you do not want them to burn and it doesn’t take long for them to get toasted.

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 Recipe from December 2011 issue of Cuisine at Home.

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Lauren Uncategorized 4 Comments

Do you cook from cookbooks often? I have a few cookbooks that I’ve made countless recipes from and have shared on here: Rachael Ray’s Look + Cook, The Perfect Scoop, Cook This, Not That! and Pati’s Mexican Table. Then I have a whole bunch of cookbooks that I’ve drooled over the pages of many, many times, but that I have yet, years later, to make any of the recipes. Every year I say that this will be the year I cook from all the cookbooks I’ve never used before, but this year I mean it and I’m already off to a great start! In addition to a few recipes I have picked out for the blog, like these epic Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms, I thought maybe I would be more motivated if I turned over some of the selection power to Matt.

Last month Matt picked a cookbook I haven’t cooked anything from yet along with a recipe from that book and then we cooked it together. It wasn’t for the blog so there was no pressure for it to look good or to be made during daylight hours for photograph reasons. January’s pick was an Eight-Hour Skirt Steak with Balsamic Mushrooms from Sous Vide at Home, which he had gotten me last year. Matt cooked most of the dish himself and it was incredible! This month, Matt picked the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook, who is one one of my favorite food bloggers, and we’re going to be making her Farmhouse Cheddar and Angel Hair Frittata next week. Yum – I can’t wait to try it! I’m liking this new monthly tradition, although if any of the recipes become new favorites then I of course will have to re-make them to share with you all!

Today I’m sharing these cheesy, garlicky and buttery Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier, which is Ree Drummond’s second cookbook. Button mushroom caps are lightly sautéed in butter before being stuffed with chunks of creamy brie cheese and baking in the oven. The best part is the sautéed parsley, garlic and green onions that get poured overtop the mushrooms.

This party appetizer is so simple, but looks really fancy, making it perfect for the holidays or even an Oscar party! According to Ree, “Guests will kiss you and demand to be invited back next time” so make sure you make these mushrooms for company you like!

Are you excited for the Oscars? Matt and I missed all the best picture nominees in theaters except for Black Panther, so we’re going to be streaming some of them this weekend to try to catch up. This article shares where to watch all the best picture nominees if you’re interested. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms

 

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Yield: 15-18 mushrooms

Ingredients

• 12 ounces white button mushrooms, washed and stems removed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 scallions, ends removed and sliced
• Splash of white wine (optional)
• 8 ounces Brie cheese, cut into bite-size chunks
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter then add the mushroom caps. Toss the mushroom caps in the melted butter. Lightly season with salt and pepper then let sauté for a minute. Remove from the mushrooms from the skillet. Add the parsley, garlic and scallions to the skillet. If you’re using the white wine, add it now. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from the heat.
3. Place the mushroom caps, stem-side up, in a baking dish. A square baking pan or pie dish works well. Add a chunk of brie to the opening of each mushroom cap then pour the parsley mixture over the top. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. Serve them after they’ve cooled slightly.

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Lauren Uncategorized 4 Comments

Hello, everyone! I hope you are all having a fun-filled weekend so far! I wanted to pop in this Sunday with a quick recipe before all my family Christmas festivities got started. I saved this recipe for the last minute because it’s so easy, but I wanted to make sure I shared it because these Candied Pecans are seriously addictive.

If they look familiar it’s because I first made them to go on top of my Pumpkin Pecan Ice Cream Pie I shared before Thanksgiving. When I made them for the ice cream pie I was so excited by how tasty they were that I decided the pecans deserved their own post here on Lemon and Mocha.

Most recipes I’ve seen online for candied pecans use butter, but this recipe actually uses a single egg white instead. The egg white and vanilla extract are beaten until frothy before tossing with the pecans, which then get coated with brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves. The pecans get the best crispy and sugary spiced coating on the outside without any greasiness of butter. If you’re like me and have been baking like crazy all holiday season then you probably have all these ingredients in your pantry right now to whip up a batch.

I just made a batch for putting on top of my browned butter pecan cheesecake for Christmas Eve at my aunt’s house and I may have sneaked one or two (or ten) for myself. They are perfect for sprinkling on cakes, cheesecakes, trifles or ice cream, but they also taste crazy delicious just by themselves. Especially warm out of the oven – drooling over here! Simply put them in a bowl for snacking alongside dessert or use as part of a sweet and salty cheese and snack board.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends and I’ll be back here with a fun post on Wednesday!

Candied Pecans

 

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Yield: A little more than 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces pecan halves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg white and vanilla until frothy. Add the pecan halves then toss to completely coat. Spoon the coated pecans into the bowl with the sugars, trying to leave any excess egg white behind. Place on the prepared baking sheet and spread out the pecans. Bake for 1 hour, tossing the pecans on the pan every 15 minutes. I use a spatula to separate the pecans from the parchment paper then spread them back out in an even layer before putting back in the oven.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments