GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE FROSTING

Hey guys!  I know its been a completely long time, but I do have a few new recipes to put up!  With my new imac (that I got in just yesterday), I can finally start typing again (my laptop broke 6 months ago).  I'll be starting off with this German chocolate cake frosting recipe.  It's so delicious, that its a must.  Enjoy! :)

German Chocolate Cake Frosting:

1 C evaporated milk
1 C white sugar
3 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water
1/2 C margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C chopped pecans (can be substituted with sliced pecans or chopped walnuts)
1 C flaked coconut (if you want to leave this out, its okay, the frosting still comes out great!)


In a large saucepan combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, margarine and vanilla.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick.  Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut.  Spread on cake while still warm.


Tips:
- For better flavour, you can toast your pecans and coconut flakes in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 F, or in a mini toaster oven.

- For those having trouble with the thickening of the frosting, add 1 tbp of cornstarch.

- You can also raise the heat up and stir vigorously if you do not want to add cornstarch.


Original Link:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/german-chocolate-cake-frosting-ii/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=german%20chocolate%20cake&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

BUTTERCREAM ICING

VANILLA FROSTING:

-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (I used margarine)
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
-2 tablespoons milk
-4 drops food coloring, or as needed (optional)


1. Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract.

2. Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add food coloring, if using, and beat for thirty seconds until smooth or until desired color is reached.

Tips:
-If you prefer to use just frosting to cover the cake instead of whip cream, add more milk so the frosting is more smooth and easier to spread.

-If you make the frosting more firm (less milk), decorations will also be more firm after it's chilled and less prone to being ruined by touch.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

I'm making Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse cake, which uses the chocolate cake posted on this blog.  The only difference is the mousse, which I'm posting.  :)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

-1 tsp unflavoured gelatin
-2 tbp cold water
-1/4 C boiling water
-1 C sugar
-1/2 C HERSHEY'S cocoa (doesn't have to be Hershey)
-2 C chilled whipping cream
-2 tsp vanilla extract


1.  In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let it stand 1 min. to soften.
2.  Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is clear.  Cool slightly.
3.  In a large cold mixer bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa; add whipping cream and vanilla.
4.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bottom of bowl occasionally, until stiff peaks form.
5.  Pour in gelatin mixutre and beat until well blended.  Refrigerate about 30 min. before serving.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Here's the recipe for the ganache I used for my mother's cake.  It's really simple quick to make, unlike the common complaint on how its really hard.  :)

*View photo gallery here>>>http://sweet-patissiere.blogspot.com/p/photo-gallery.html*

GANACHE:

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
• 
  

1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired.
2. Allow the ganache to cool before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

TIPS:

-Make sure to COMPLETELY COOL the ganache.  You know it's ready to use if it's kind of thick and doesn't immediately come back together when you push a spoon through it.

LINKS:

Chocolate Ganache: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-ganache/detail.aspx

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Hey guys!
So I want to surprise my friend by baking her a cake for her birthday tomorrow!  Oddly enough, her birthday is 3 days before mine.  But what's really odd is my bff in Montreal, whose birthday is exactly one month before mine.  Her's is Dec. 28, while mine is Jan. 28.  Even though we're only one month apart, we're one whole grade apart.  And according to the lunar calendar, we're born in the same year.  So unfair. :P

So anyway, I'm not allowed to bake anything big for a few months because of an incident....
So I just stuck to a simple chocolate cake (recipe here>>>) topped with buttercream frosting.  Simple.  But I kind of got off topic on Youtube.  I started off with "how to make icing flowers" to a ton of other baking stuff.
So anyways, here it is!

FROSTING:
2 cups shortening
8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract (real vanilla makes the frosting so much better)
6 fluid ounces heavy cream


Ingredient Tips:
-1 1/2C shortening & 1/2C butter
-6oz of cream for thick frosting
-2-3oz more of cream for fluffier frosting

1. Cream shortening (and/or butter if used) until fluffy. Add confectioner's sugar and continue creaming until well blended.
2. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream blend on low speed until moistened. Add additional whipping cream if necessary (up to 2 ounces). Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Links:

Special Buttercream Frosting: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/special-buttercream-frosting/Detail.aspx