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Siriously Delicious: Chocolate Dream Layer Cake

By
Siri Daly
-

On February 14th, some women long for jewels, a romantic card, or a date night out. “Not I,” said the fly, because all I care about is chocolate. If you’re like me, then I have the recipe for you!

For starters, there are three layers of cake that are tender, moist, and deeply rich in flavor. In between each is a mocha buttercream filling that is intensely satisfying. Coffee is an excellent way to amplify the chocolate experience in a recipe. Finally, the entire cake is spread with a chunky chocolate frosting that perfectly completes it.  

If you dream about chocolate as I do, then this cake is well worth the extra effort that goes into the process. Once it is all said and done, you are left with a sublime masterpiece that is best served with a large glass of cold milk.

SERVES: 12
HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES

Vegetable shortening
2 (4-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bars. chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed coffee

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FILLING

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CHUNKY FUDGE FROSTING

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 (4-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Lightly spray three nine-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Grease (with shortening) and flour the parchment paper and pans.
  2. Place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl, and microwave on high until melted and smooth, about 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring at 30-second intervals.
  3. Beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugars, and beat until well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add the melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
  4. Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the chocolate mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended after each addition. (The mixture will be thick.)
  5. Stir the vanilla into the hot coffee. Gradually add the coffee mixture to the batter in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
  6. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 24 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans to the wire rack, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
  7. Meanwhile, Make the Mocha Buttercream Filling. Beat the powdered sugar, butter, and cocoa with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Place the cream in a microwavable bowl, and microwave on medium (50 percent power) until warm (do not boil), about 45 seconds. Stir together the warm cream and the coffee granules until dissolved; cool for about 5 minutes. Gradually add the cream mixture and vanilla to the butter mixture, and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, Make the Chunky Fudge Frosting: Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Stir together the powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa in a medium bowl. Gradually add the cocoa mixture alternately with the milk, beating on medium speed until smooth after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
  9. Place 1 layer on a serving plate, and spread half of the Mocha Buttercream Filling on the layer. Top with a second layer, and spread the remaining filling on that. Top with the third layer, and spread the top and sides of the cake with the Chunky Fudge Frosting.

SIRIOUSLY SIMPLE

Swap out the chopped chocolate in the Chunky Fudge Frosting layer with chocolate chips, my go-to pantry item.

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.

Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Siriously Delicious: Dark Chocolate Mint Brownie with Chocolate Glaze

By
Siri Daly
-
Dark Chocolate-Mint Brownies with Chocolate Glaze

Is there anything better than a holiday tradition? The answer is nope. OK, maybe there is something, and that is a Dark Chocolate Mint Brownie with Chocolate Glaze.

Every Christmas, my mom would make a version of these rich, minty bars — along with a slew of other treats — and one bite brings me back to our messy, festive kitchen. We would make batch after batch and hand them out as holiday gifts, which is something I still do today.

Yes, maybe we all get bombarded with sweets during the season, but I love collecting those tins of homemade goodies to see what everyone else’s traditions are. (Hint: Send me baked goods.) These bars begin with a fudgy brownie base, then are layered with creamy, cool mint and topped off with a chocolate glaze and crumbly mint candies. They are the perfect dessert for a jolly, memorable winter day.          

Makes: 16

Hands-on time: 15 minutes

Total time: 2 hours, 22 minutes

3⁄4 cup unsalted butter

1 (four-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1⁄4 teaspoon table salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

MINT LAYER

1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1⁄2 tablespoons whole milk

1⁄2 teaspoon peppermint extract

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

1⁄4 cup heavy cream

16 thin crème de menthe chocolate mints (such as Andes), chopped (about 3⁄4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil allowing 3 inches to extend over 2 sides; lightly grease the foil with cooking spray.

Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a large saucepan over low. Stir in the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Stir together the flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl; stir into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the mint layer: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Spread over the cooled brownies. Chill for 1 hour.

Make the chocolate glaze: Place the chocolate chips and cream in a small microwavable bowl, and microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent power) until melted and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals. Spread over the mint layer. Sprinkle with the chopped mints. Chill until ready to serve.

Remove from the pan using the foil sides as handles. Cut into 16 squares.

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.

Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House.  Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Siriously Delicious: Pork Tenderloin With Sautéed Apples

By
Siri Daly
-
Pork tenderloins with sautéed apples taste as American as apple pie.

This dish tastes like football games on Friday nights, like picnics and fireworks, like country music and bald eagles and watery beer and Oprah.

Pork paired with apples tastes classic, like something truly American. A dinner of pork chops and applesauce feels very retro — maybe because Peter Brady turned it into a catchphrase on The Brady Bunch — and that vintage combination is what inspired me to give the time-honored meal a modern twist.

Instead of chops, I love to cook with pork tenderloin, which is a leaner cut and can be prepared much quicker. Instead of applesauce, I love to slowly sauté apples with shallots, cider and vinegar until they soften and caramelize. A smoky, panko crust is rubbed on the meat and creates a crispy exterior while locking in moisture.

This tender pork will almost melt in your mouth, and combined with the sweet, spiced, buttery apples, turns a blast-from-the-past dinner into a grand slam on an autumn day.      

SERVES 4
HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed

1⁄2 teaspoon light brown sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 Fuji apples, chopped

2 shallots, sliced

1 cup spiced apple cider

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Hot cooked rice

Sour cream (optional)

Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook until the garlic starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the panko and cumin, and cook, stirring often, until the panko is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish, and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle the pork with the brown sugar, pepper, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt. Roll the pork in the panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 145°F, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the apples and shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples start to brown and soften, about 15 minutes. Add the cider, vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt to the skillet; cook until the apples are tender-crisp and the sauce is creamy, about 2 minutes. Serve the pork and apples over the rice; dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with fresh thyme, if desired.

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.

Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House.  Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

‘Siriously Delicious’ Spiced Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

By
Siri Daly
-
Siri Daly's spiced pumpkin pancakes with vanilla whipped cream taste like autumn.

Confession: There is only one food that I cannot stand, and that food is pumpkin pie. Yep, I know, it’s like I’m not even an American human being.

However, before you throw this recipe away and curse my name, keep in mind that I like other pumpkin things! In fact, I like all the other delicious foods bursting with pumpkin flavor! Friends again?

For example, I love these mouthwatering pumpkin pancakes. Each bite is full of warmth and will remind you of a chilly, autumn weekend morning. If you usually make pancakes from a box, you will be surprised how easy they are to make from scratch.

Speaking of homemade things, if you’ve never made your own whipped cream, you must also try that at once (I’m bossy). It is ridiculously easy and so much tastier than the store-bought version, especially when it’s infused with yummy vanilla beans, as it is here.

I cannot imagine topping these pancakes with anything else.   

Serves 6
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

1⁄2 vanilla bean, split
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1⁄4 cups whole milk
3⁄4 cup canned pumpkin
1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 large eggs
Pure maple syrup

Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into a bowl; add the cream and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 45 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, ginger, orange zest, and eggs until smooth; add to the flour mixture. Whisk just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-high. Scoop the batter by 1⁄4 cupfuls, and drop onto the hot surface; cook until the edges are set and bubbles begin to form on the surface of the batter, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and cook for 1 minute.

To serve, stack three pancakes onto each of six plates; spoon about 1⁄4 cup of the vanilla whipped cream over each stack. Drizzle with the maple syrup.

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.

Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Siriously Delicious Smashed Chickpea Sandwich Recipe

By
Siri Daly
-
Siri Daly recreated the smashed chickpea sandwich she found at a Manhassett coffee shop.

Here’s a little piece of trivia for you: I wrote most of my cookbook at various coffee shops. I often attempted to write at home, but I almost always got distracted by organizing my Tupperware or color coordinating my bookshelves…you know, super important things.  

Therefore, it was helpful and productive to get out of the house. In Manhasset, a new coffee joint recently opened called For Five, and not only does it have delicious caffeinated beverages, it has a seasonal made-to-order menu with all sorts of breakfast and lunch options.  

One of my favorites is the smashed chickpea sandwich, and I’ve since recreated the dish at home. It’s essentially garbanzo beans — smashed — with Greek yogurt, a little mayo, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and some spices, served between toasted bread slices and topped with sprouts, cucumber and avocado.  

It’s a refreshing, vegetarian lunch and great fuel for writing a cookbook…in case that’s something you’re up to.  

SMASHED CHICKPEA SANDWICH
Makes: 4
Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon mayonaise

Juice of half a lemon

Pinch of paprika

Pinch of cayenne

Salt and pepper to taste

Toasted bread

Optional toppings: avocado, sprouts, sliced cucumbers

Steps:

  1. In a bowl, smash garbanzo beans with a fork or masher until desired consistency is reached.  
  2. Add the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice and seasonings and stir, tasting and adding more spices if needed.  
  3. Serve on toasted bread with toppings of choice!

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.

Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Siriously Delicious: Tie-Dye Cake Recipe

By
Siri Daly
-

Cutting into a birthday cake isn’t what it used to be. Nowadays, sprinkles erupt from the inside, frosting is arranged in ombre patterns or in this case, a swirly rainbow of cake is revealed.

There’s somethings so precious about children standing on their tiptoes with gleeful expressions, trying to catch a glimpse of that colorful interior. The best part is, you don’t have to be a skilled baker to pull off this masterpiece. Following this simple tutorial will leave you with a magical cake that everyone will want a piece of.

Here’s what you do: Make my Perfect Yellow Cupcake recipe from Siriously Delicious, then divide the batter into four bowls. Using your desired colors, add food coloring to each bowl and stir.

Grease two round cake pans. Take two of the bowls, and alternatively pour them into one cake pan, layering them on top of each other. Then, using a toothpick or a fork, swirl the two colors together. Repeat this with the other two colors and cake pan.

Bake the cakes in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cakes are baked through. Frost and enjoy!

PERFECT YELLOW CUPCAKES
Serves: 24
Hands-on time: 20 MINUTES
Total time: 1 hour 10 MINUTES

There is nothing more classic than a perfect yellow cupcake with vanilla buttercream and rainbow sprinkles. It is a timeless dessert, and therefore one you should have a go-to recipe for. The ingredients are simple, readily available and it only takes about 20 minutes to whip them together. Say goodbye to those boxed mixes FOREVER (okay that’s slightly dramatic, at least save them for a lazy day).

These cupcakes are perfectly moist with a beautiful golden hue (thanks, butter and eggs) and the sweet, creamy buttercream is the icing on the cake. Literally. And if you’re like my kids, you will eat all the frosting first and then attack the rest.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 (2-pound) package powdered sugar
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
Rainbow candy sprinkles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Line 2 (12-cup) standard-sized muffin pans with paper baking cups, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling two-thirds full.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vanilla buttercream: Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the vanilla, salt, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar, and beat on low speed until combined. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar alternately with the cream, beating on low speed until blended after each addition.

Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Pipe or spread the vanilla buttercream over the cupcakes. If desired, top with candy sprinkles.

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.

Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

‘Siriously Delish’ Parmesan Spinach Meatballs

By
Siri Daly
-

There’s something about a freshly made batch of meatballs swimming in a homemade

Siri Daly’s cookbook hit stands this spring.

sauce that can turn any day around. Especially these meatballs, because they require very few ingredients, are simple to pull off, and sneak in added nutrition your family won’t even know is there. I’m talking about spinach — that’s right, spinach! Throw this recipe into your weekly rotation and you’ll have at least one night free of the “dinnertime scaries” on nights when you can’t figure out what to cook so you contemplate leftovers, frozen food, take-out or running away from your family. Trust me, this meal will please even the pickiest eaters and I know this because I live with them. Make it tonight and save the emergency
pizza hotline for another day.

Parmesan Spinach Meatballs with Homemade Marinara

Serves: Makes about 20 meatballs
Time to Prep: 15 minutes
Time to Cook: 25 minutes

Meatball Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup panko
10 ounce frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Marinara Ingredients:
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Step 1: In a large bowl, add meatball ingredients and combine together using a large fork or your hands.

Step 2: Scoop out about 1/4 cup of mixture and form into two-inch balls, placing them on plate or baking sheet. Put in the fridge for 20 minutes, allowing them to set.

Step 3: Ten minutes after meatballs are in fridge, heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and heat for a minute or so, until garlic starts to brown. Add can of tomatoes and seasoning, and simmer sauce for about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Add meatballs to simmering sauce, and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring the meatballs about halfway through to make sure they’re all coated in sauce. Serve over pasta or as meatball sandwiches and enjoy!

Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.