Strawberry-Raspberry No-Churn Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks

The title says it all, it's a combo of two different berries that I picked this past week, along with chopped bittersweet chocolate. The idea came because I wanted to make ice cream, the easy way.  I found recipes for no-churn ice cream and decided to try it.  This particular recipe uses less sweetened condensed milk than other recipes which made me think it's less sweet.  Other recipes use one can of that stuff but with the same amount of whipping cream; that I think is way too sweet.  But maybe I shouldn't say anything before trying it out :D

And I also recently tried a new flavor of jam after reading new books about preserving, raspberry "lemonade" jam.  It's made with raspberries, lemon juice, honey, and pectin.  I love the flavor combination and thought that the jam will go together with strawberry base ice cream.  As if it's not enough, I went ahead and chopped bittersweet chocolate to add to the ice cream.  Since I haven't provided the recipe for the jam, a regular strawberry jam can be used to make this ice cream.

When I was ready to serve this, I also had some strawberries left.  I was thinking of making something quick and easy, thus strawberry sauce was conceived :)  This sauce was the bomb because the strawberries were fresh and I picked the right variety for it.  Something that's made from in-season fruits always turn out to be the best in flavor.  I just love how fresh-picked strawberries smell!  Eating the ice cream with the sauce after dinner has become the highpoint of our summer days.

I set aside a few cupful of the ice cream for making ice cream sandwich.  Now I didn't make the cookies myself but I have Chips Ahoy! Thin Double Chocolate in the pantry.  It's a fine substitute in a pinch.  Well, well, everybody loves it!  Now I'm gonna probably play around with other flavor this summer and make more ice cream sandwich.

Strawberry-Raspberry No-Churn Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks

Serves 8-10

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup finely diced strawberries
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup jam, raspberry or strawberry jam, warmed just until loosen up

In a large bowl whisk together vanilla extract with sweetened condensed milk and salt.

With a mixer, whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture.  Fold the diced strawberries and chocolate.

Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or wax paper.  Spoon half of the ice cream mixture.  Add half of jam, swirl with butter knife.  Spoon the rest of the ice cream mixture and then swirl the last half of the jam.  Press plastic wrap onto the surface of ice cream and wrap tightly.  Freeze until firm, or for at least 12 hours before serving.

Let ice cream stands for 10 minutes or so before scooping.  At this time, you can scoop a spoonful into one cookie, press another cookie on top.  Smooth the sides with a small offset spatula.  Wrap the ice cream cookies an freeze until firm again.


Source:  adapted from Belly Full

Raspberry Mousse Pie

I hope it's not too late to post a raspberry related dessert?  I made this when my aunt and her friend were staying with us so we have a large group to help polish off the pie.  Both of them liked the pie very much and complimented me for choosing it to end the meal.  But I thanked Martha Stewart for providing us with the recipe.  The raspberries were very fresh because I U-picked them at the same week.  Big, juicy, local raspberries are the best!

Raspberry Mousse Pie

Serves 12


Nonstick cooking spray
7 graham crackers
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 21/4 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce packet)
5 cups fresh raspberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup plus 2 tabelspoons sugar
2 cups cold heavy cream


Lightly coat a 9-inch square metal baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.  Arrange graham crackers in an even layer in pan, breaking them to fit as necessary.  Place lemon juice in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin.  Let sit until gelatin softens, 3 minutes.  In a blender, puree 2 cups raspberries until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed.  Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup, pressing on solids (you should have about 1 cup of puree); discard solids.

In a small saucepan, combine raspberry puree and 1/2 cup sugar over medium. Cook until bubbles form at edge.  Add gelatin mixture and cook, stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves, about 1 minute.  Transfer mixture to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature, 20 minutes.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and 2 tablespoons sugar on medium-high until firm peaks form, about 4 minutes.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold in raspberry puree mixture until combined.  Pour over graham crackers.  Smooth top with an offset spatula and arrange 3 cups raspberries on top.  Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours (or up to overnight).

Using parchment, gently lift pie out of pan and place on a serving plate.  Peel away parchment from sides of pie; trim excess paper with scissors or a sharp knife.  Cut into 12 pieces to serve.


Source:  Martha Stewart

Pretty in Pink Cake

My first attempt of making a naked cake and it turned out very, very pink!  I've always wanted to recreate this cake and this week seemed to be an appropriate week for a pink cake (*hint: Valentine's Day is this Sunday).

I've made this cake with the original fruit, which was strawberry, back when I just starting to blog.  Everything was so new and I was still in the process of learning how to bake and how to style my food so it would look good presentation wise.  In fact, I found the photo, which inspired me to make it again.  Here it is:

That photo was an embarrassment to my existence!  I don't know why I missed so many no-no's with food back then but I guess somewhere, sometime, I had to learn, right.  It was taken by a small Sony digital camera that ceased to function a few years ago, and it was my first digital camera.  Anyway, I honestly couldn't remember how the cake tasted at the time so by making it again I hope I can reacquaint my love for the cake.

It is basically a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting with the addition of strawberry preserves and decorated simply with fresh strawberries.  This time around, it is raspberry preserves with fresh raspberries and I swapped semisweet baking chocolate with a bittersweet one.  I did take out some of the sugar measurement out from the icing because I thought 2 cups was going to be too sweet for my taste.  And I was glad I did.  The raspberry preserves is a homemade one because my preserves is the best 😝.  I decorated the cake with simple decoration of frosting and fruit because I like this look the best with a naked cake.  In the end, I fell in love with the cake again!

Pretty in Pink Cake

Serves 4

Schnappy Chocolate Cake

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-ounce pieces

3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus 3 teaspoons

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon Wilderberry schnapps

Pretty in Pink Icing

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-ounce pieces

6 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-ounce pieces

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

4 to 5 drops red food color

Make the cake:  Preheat the oven to 350F.  Lightly coat the insides of three 6 x 2-inch aluminum cake pans, using the melted butter.  Flour the insides of each pan with 1 teaspoon flour.  Shake out and discard the excess flour.  Set aside until needed.

Melt the chopped chocolate and the 2 ounces butter in the top half of a double boiler, or in a small glass bowl in a microwave oven and stir until smooth.

In a sifter combine the 3/4 cup flour, the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Sift onto a large piece of parchment or wax paper and set aside.

Place the granulated sugar and the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle.  Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is frothy and slightly thickened.  Add the chocolate and butter mixture and mix on medium to combine, about 15 seconds.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Operate the mixer on low while gradually adding the dry ingredients; mix until incorporated, about 45 seconds.  Add the schnapps and mix on low for 10 seconds.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined.  Immediately divide the cake batter among the prepared pans (about 2/3 cup of batter in each pan) and spread evenly (the batter is very thick, so this will take a bit of spreading).

Bake on the center rack of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layers comes out clean, 15 to 16 minutes (do not overbake).  Remove the cake layers from the oven and cool in the pans for 15 minutes at room temperature.  Invert the cake layers onto cake circles or cake plates, then immediately turn the cake layers side up again.  

Make the icing:  Sift the confectioners' sugar onto a large piece of parchment or wax paper.  Set aside.

Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle.  Mix on low speed for 1 minutes, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until soft.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.  Beat on medium for another 2 minutes.  Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on lowest speed to combine, about 1 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.  Now beat on medium for 10 seconds.  Transfer the butter and sugar mixture to a small bowl.

Place the cream cheese in the same bowl.  Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until soft.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.  Beat on medium for another 2 minutes until very soft.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.  Add the raspberry preserves and beat on medium for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the butter and sugar mixture and beat on medium for 10 seconds.  Add the food color and beat for 15 seconds.

Assemble the cake:  Use a cake spatula to spread 3/4 cup of icing evenly and smoothly over the top and to the edges of the 2 cake layers.  Stack the iced layers, then top with the remaining cake layer.  Gently press the layers into place.  Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake using a combination of spatula and bench scraper.  Wipe excess frosting back into the bowl.  The cake is essentially getting a crumb coating so it will look naked.  If you want to make dollops of frosting on top of the cake, use a 1/2" plain tip and a French tip like I did.

Refrigerate the cake before cutting and serving. 

Source:  adapted from Celebrate with Chocolate by Marcel Desaulniers

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart

I'm back!!!  Yes, it's been a few weeks since I wrote my last post.  Holiday and mother-in-law visit got in the way of me time, but I had a good time during my week off break.  It was also the time of indulging myself with delectable dishes that my mom made.  But there was one occasion that I had to make a special treat, that was my dad's birthday in the middle of November.  When I asked him what he would like for his birthday cake, he wanted to have something chocolate, preferably made with bittersweet chocolate.

I thought long and hard and I found the answer in this chocolate truffle tart.  It was rich in chocolate flavor, smooth, and a little fruity; a dessert that's manly and elegant.  The trick that I learned was that the chocolate didn't need to be super bitter to achieve the velvety texture.  Chocolate can get grittier as it gets bitter, so choosing chocolate liquor content between 60-70% should be enough.  I use Lindt chocolate bars and was very pleased with the result.  We enjoyed having tiny slices accompanied with a big dollop of frozen espresso-flavored custard.

Speaking of frozen custard, I tried a new brand called Snoqualmie.  Costco had the pumpkin custard sample in their store and it was excellent, and that made me decide to try the coffee custard--yay for egg yolk in ice cream!  This makes me want to try their Peppermint Stick Gelato once I see it in stores.  It'll be my holiday spoil that I may (not) share! :)

And yes, the photo above was what's left of the frozen espresso custard after too long of a photo shoot.  It was still amazing to eat!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart

Serves 10


For crust:
1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco Famous (28 wafers)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling:
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cocoa), coarsely chopped
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces fresh raspberries, plus extra to serve

Make the crust:  Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly butter side of pan.  Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined.  Pat mixture evenly over bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side.  Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes.  Cool completely on a rack, about 15 minutes.  (Leave oven on.)

Make the filling:  Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.  Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl.  Whisk in chocolate mixture and until well combined.

Scatter raspberries on crust.  Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles.  Bake until filling 1 inch from edges is set and slightly puffed but center still trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours.  (Center will continue to set as it cools.)  Refrigerate tart, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours.  Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa before serving.  Serve with extra raspberries, cream, and/or ice cream.


Source:  adapted heavily from Gourmet Today 2009

Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart

Great, another raspberry post?  Yes, but I can convince you that this tart is worth the steps to make.  It's flaky at the bottom, tangy and creamy in the middle followed by sweet-tart burst of raspberry on the top.  This reminds me of clafouti which I also love; there's few custard type desserts I don't like!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart

Serves 8


For the pastry dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk

For the filling:
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
A pinch of grated nutmeg
3 large eggs, beaten
Zest of 1 lemon
12 oz (350 g) raspberries
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


To make the pastry dough:  Place the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until it resembles bread crumbs.  Alternately, to make by hand, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs, then stir in the sugar.

Add the egg yolk to the mixture and mix to a firm dough.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use to line the pan.  Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400F.

Line the crust with wax paper and fill with baking beans.  Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10 minutes, or until pale golden.  Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350F.

To make the filling:  Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar together until smooth.  Add the nutmeg, eggs, and lemon zest; beat again until well combined.  Pour into the crust and scatter the raspberries over the surface.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until just set.  Set aside to cool before transferring to a serving plate.  Serve warm or wold, dusted with confectioners' sugar.


Source:  Pies:  Sweet and Savory by Caroline Bretherton

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

A few days ago my husband and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and the day after that he celebrated his birthday.  There's no big celebration--we're not party people-- other than going to a dinner with my parents last weekend; in fact, they've also had their wedding anniversary this month.  May is such a celebration month for our families, and the fact that it's when flowers are blooming makes it even better.  I'm such a flower person nowadays, an affection that I don't know where it comes from since I was quite a tomboy growing up.  It might have grown from the time I picked a camera and started shooting.

In the midst of work, chores and school stuff, I managed to make a trifle for us to enjoy this week.  Trifle is a great way to use cake, fruits and mousse together in a relaxed arrangement.  This chocolate and raspberry trifle called my name even if making it took more steps than I wanted too.  First it was the cake, then it's the mousse, then it's the whipped cream.  Between making those components, I also sneaked in strawberry jam making.  I was exhausted! :)  But once it's done, it's worth the time and effort of making it.  The chocolate cake is tender and in need of creamy daub which the mousse comes in place; that mousse is so good and custardy that eating it alone would not considered a sin.  Tart raspberries and soft whipped cream finish off the dessert to a perfection.

A slight modification is as follow:  the chocolate cake recipe is from King Arthur Flour website while the mousse and whipped cream recipe is from original Family Circle magazine.  I added freeze-dried raspberry crumbles for extra oomph and cocoa powder dusting at the end.  And I made several mini version of it for my husband's lunch box, those little jars make it easy to transport.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

Makes 24 servings


1 box (16.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix, or try this Self-Rising Chocolate Cake from King Arthur Flour, baked in the same size of pan
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
4 large egg yolks
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut up
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 packages (6 oz each) fresh raspberries
Chocolate curls or cocoa powder, for garnish


Heat oven to 350F.  Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Line bottom with wax paper; coat paper with spray.  Prepare cake mix as per package directions with eggs, oil and 1 ¼ cups water.  Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; invert directly onto rack, remove paper and cool completely.

While cake cools, in a large metal bowl, combine egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water and butter.  Place bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is pale and thickened and registers 160F on an instant-read thermometer, about 7 minutes.  Remove bowl from saucepan and whisk in chocolate until smooth.  In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup of the cream with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the vanilla until medium-firm peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture until no white remains.  Cover surface directly with plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Once cake has cooled, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes.  Whip remaining 1 ½ cups cream with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar to medium-firm peaks.  Begin layering trifle:  Spoon half the cake cubes into a 4-quart glass bowl or dish.  Compress slightly.  Spread half the chocolate mousse (about 1 ½ cups) over cake cubes.  Top mousse with 1 pkg of the raspberries and half the whipped cream (about 1 ½ cups).  Repeat layering and garnish with chocolate curls or cocoa powder.  Serve immediately or refrigerate up to overnight until serving.


Source:  adapted from Family Circle magazine, February 2015

Peach Melba Shortcakes

I had a great day yesterday.  It's my birthday and I got to spend it with my favorite people in the world: my family.  I received two candles from my son, who obviously picked the gifts with his dad since dad knew about  it.  I didn't know how they pulled it off this year, bought gifts without my knowledge and completely surprised me.  Next year my son suggested that I give him a list of gifts I'd like to get so he'll know what to buy for me.  Great idea!

And I want to declare that I absolutely will have peaches every time my birthday comes around.  The peaches this year are plentiful, flavorful, and super juicy.  Twice I bought peaches from my son's friend's orchard.  His parents own a peach orchard in Canby and they grow great peaches.  Early in July I bought a handful which we ate and ate.  Just last weekend I bought some more, this time I poached some, froze some, and left a bunch in the fridge to eat fresh.  

I didn't intentionally make this shortcake for my birthday but it might as well be my birthday cake since I have plentiful left.  I made a genoise cake base instead of using biscuits for shortcakes.  I then poached the peaches using sugar water and vanilla bean to give it a flavor.  Honestly, it's a bit of work poaching peaches because I had to peel them first.  The lazier method will be to just cut the peaches and macerate them with peach schnapps.  But in the end, those poached peaches taste so good that I didn't mind doing it again if I have to.  The raspberry sauce is simple; it's simply done by crushing fresh raspberries, which then got strained to remove the seeds.  I made just enough sugar water to incorporate the crushed raspberries with it; a little lemon juice is added to it to give a nice finish.  

To serve these shortcakes in Mason jars, I grabbed a few small and different size jars.  The components were layered until full;  these were ready right away or could be stored in the fridge for a few hours.  Everybody got his/her own serving of shortcake and it's sooo good!

Don't they look adorable in the jar like that?  Pretty enough to be a birthday cake!    

Peach Melba Shortcakes

Makes one 9- x 13-inch cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for buttering the dish

6 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Poached peaches:

12 medium firm-ripe peaches

2 ⅔ cups sugar

4 cups water

1 piece vanilla bean

Raspberry sauce:

1 (12-oz.) package frozen raspberries (not in syrup), thawed

½ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup water

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make the shortcake:  Preheat the oven to 375F.  Generously butter a 9- x 13-inch glass baking dish.  Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the milk until frothy.  Add the 1 ⅓ cups of granulated sugar; beat at high speed until the mixture is thick and pale, 7 minutes.

In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.  Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture; fold in the melted butter until incorporated.  Spread the batter in the prepared dish; bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until golden.  Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Make the poached peaches:  Cut a shallow X in bottom of each peach with a sharp paring knife and immerse fruit in a 6-quart heavy pot (preferably wide) of boiling water 30 seconds, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking.  Transfer peaches to a cutting board and peel, starting with cut end, then cut in half, discarding pits.

Combined sugar and water in cleaned pot.  Halve vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife and scrape seeds into pot, then add pod and bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Add peaches, pitted sides down to sugar syrup, then reduce heat and poach, covered at a bare simmer 6 minutes.  Turn peaches over and continue to poach, covered, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes more.

Cool peaches in poaching liquid in pot, uncovered, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Make the raspberry sauce (while peaches are cooling):  Force raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids.

Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan.  Cover pan (so condensation will wash any sugar crystals down side of pan) and bring to a boil, then remove lid and boil 2 minutes.

Immediately stir sugar syrup into raspberry puree and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Stir in lemon juice.

When ready to serve the shortcakes, whip the cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a bowl until firm.  

To serve shortcakes in jars:   I used some 8-oz. and 4-oz. jars, but you can also use a bigger jar.   You just have to add more layer into it.  Cut the cake into small squares, enough so they can fit into the jars.  Cut the peaches the same size as the cake squares.  Add these on top of the cake.  Drizzle some raspberry sauce.  Spoon some whipped cream onto the sauce.  Repeat the process until you reach the top of jar.  Ideally, you'll want the whipped cream to be on the top layer.  Garnish with some diced or sliced peaches and drizzle more raspberry sauce.  This recipe will make quite a bit shortcakes in jars; I didn't use all for it, instead we ate the rest like regular shortcakes.  Simply cut the cake into bigger squares and serve with sliced peaches, whipped cream, and raspberry sauce.

Pop Art Raspberry Icebox Cake

This is an embarrassingly late post about a birthday cake for a birthday which happened in August.  Back when August was warm and sunny--and I love everything that took place in August--my son made (and I helped) this cake for my birthday.  Over the years, and especially since I've lived in Oregon, August has become a happy and glorious month to be in, and not just because it's my birthday month :)  Sun, peak of produce, road trip, lazy days, crickets at nights, roasting marshmallow on the fire; that's just to name a few things that August has to offer.  So yeah, this cake recipe should've been posted sometime last month; but no matter, it is still gloriously good--like the month of August in every slice.

The idea to make this cake is of course the simplicity of an icebox cake; something that my son could make with little help from me.  Tastewise, the texture is smooth with lots of raspberry flavor, a little crunch from the seeds, and enough chocolaty-ness from the cookies.  My family loves this and perhaps yours will do too!

Pop Art Raspberry Icebox Cake

Serves 6



27 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 tablespoons cold water

One 12-ounce bag frozen raspberries

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

2 tablespoons framboise (raspberry liqueur)--optional

1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Line a 9 1/2 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is tucked into all the corners and there is at least 1 inch overhanging the top of the pan on all sides.  Working with one cookie at a time, spread the more rounded side of 9 of the wafer cookies with a thin layer of melted chocolate and place 3 of them, chocolate side down, on the bottom of the pan.  Place another 3 cookies against each long side of the pan, chocolate-coated sides facing the pan.  Place the pan in the freezer.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 2 minutes.

Combine the raspberries and sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring a few times, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm to the touch.  Stir in the gelatin mixture.  Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Combine the heavy cream, framboise (if using), and vanilla in a large bowl and using an electric mixer, whip until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold in the cooled rapsberry mixture, taking care not to deflate the cream.

Remove the pan from the freezer.  Pour all but one-fourth of the mousse into the pan.  Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Insert the remaining 18 wafers into the mousse, arranging them vertically in three rows of six so they are lined up with the chocolate wafers on the sides of the pan.  Spread the remaining mousse over the wafers and smooth with the spatula.  The pan should be full to the top.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely set, at least overnight and up to 1 week.

To unmold, gently tug the plastic wrap that lines the pan to loosen the cake.  Place a serving platter over the pan and turn over.  Gently tap to release.  Carefully peel the plastic from the cake.  Cut into slices and serve immediately.



Source:  Icebox Desserts by Lauren Chattman