Orange Shortbread with Dark Chocolate and Pistachios

 This recipes is one of my favorites from the holiday and can be eaten throughout the year. What I love about them is by using dark chocolate and salted pistachios it really balanced the sweetness. Often what I find is desserts are getting too sweet for me. Maybe my palette is changing, and if that's the case these cookies are the perfect transitions. If you are not a huge sweet tooth these are a delightful indulgence!

 These were sent off as gifts to family and friends. Using some paper boxes and festive tissue paper they were sent without a hitch! My favorite thing to do is bake and give it all away during the holidays. It's a great gift when you are unsure of what to get anyone and the time and care it takes to bake something really gives it a personal touch that anyone would love to receive.

If rolled to ¼ inch thick, this recipe makes 2 dozen two inch cookies, a bit thinner and you can stretch it to approximately 3 dozen. This dough is hampered by the use of electric mixers – you don’t want to incorporate air or volume. Hand mixing is essential.

1 lb salted butter, softened

¾ C light brown sugar

2 C all purpose flour (due to the dryness of Calgary this was greatly reduced from the original recipes requirement of 4 cups)

zest of 1 navel orange

1 C dark chocolate (chips or melting wafers are easiest)

1 C whole, roasted & salted pistachios, chopped

In a large bowl, with a large wooden spoon, begin to work the butter until it is very soft, but not greasy. Spread and flatten it against the bowl with the back of the wooden spoon until it is creamy and very pliable, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Add the zest and sugar, all at once, and stir until the sugar is dissolved and no longer gritty. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, incorporating it fully before adding more. After you have added the second cup, you may want to finish mixing with your hands. Once all of the flour have been mixed in, the dough will be firm and uniform, not sticky, but only dry enough to crack slightly when pressed. Leave the dough to rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature – this allows for the flavours to meld and for the butter to be completely absorbed by the flour.

Once it is rested, roll the dough out to ¼” thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies in whatever shape you like. Traditionally, in our family the cookies are cut with a sharp knife into 1 inch squares. Then the tines of a fork are pressed into each side of the squares, giving them a ridged effect. Lastly they are pierced three times with the fork, making 3 rows of 4 small holes in the top. If you choose to make round cookies or other shapes, pricking them will help ensure that they bake up flat and smooth. Not pricking them may result in some bubbling and warping of the surface, however, I have never found this to be a major problem.

These cookies do not spread, so you can really load up your cookie sheet. Line it with parchment or if not using parchment, leave it ungreased, they are plenty buttery and will not stick. Bake at 325F for 12-13 minutes until the bottoms and bottom edge are golden and the tops are dry looking. Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Do not dip in chocolate until they are fully cooled.

Chop the pistachios finely and melt the chocolate (with 10 second intervals in the microwave, or in a heat proof bowl over simmering water). Dunk the cookies, shaking off excess (or dribble pools of chocolate on top) and roll through the finely chopped pistachios. Place the chocolate coated cookies on the same parchment lined cookie sheet and allow the chocolate to firm up.

To store, keep these tightly sealed for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. Fluctuations in temperature may cause the chocolate to ‘bloom’. All that means is that the chocolate may take on a chalky, white-ish appearance. No cause for alarm, it is just a result of the cocoa butter and cocoa solids separating slightly. They will still be good to eat.

Recipe adapted from Feast For All Seasons blog

Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Pies

 

Since the end of October I've had an intense craving for peanut butter. It must be something my body is lacking and of course i'm more then happy to provide.. with a little chocolate too.

Using a simple pie crust cut out round pieces with a biscuit cutter or round of your choice. Mine was a size that fit into my mini cupcake tin. It makes perfect bite sizes so you can't feel too guilty having one of these delicious treats. I had also stocked up a few bars of Ikea chocolate.. I'm really addicted to them and at only .99 cents each it's easy to buy 4-5 or you know 10 who am I kidding?

Ingredients

• Pie crust (homemade listed below OR store bought)
• Large biscuit cutters
• Mini muffin pan
• dark or milk chocolate for melting
• Peanut butter of your choice
• Sea Salt

Ingredients for pie crust:

• 2.5 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup (yes it’s a lot of butter), use the best butter you can attain, ice cold and cut into small cubes
• ¾ cup of ice water
• Egg wash (yolk whisked)

Instructions

1. If you have a pastry cutter you will mix the ingredients into a bowl and use the pastry cutter to incorporate the ingredients. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, place the ingredients (minus the water) into your food processor and process until the butter and flour are lumpy and still retaining the texture (think crumbles). Then drizzle the cold water through the spout and process until incorporated. Divide the dough, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1.5-2 hours.
2. Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and using your pastry cutter/knife, cut the cold butter into the flour – breaking it down as much as you can. Then add the water. Knead with your hand – working the dough until no flour remains at the bottom of your bowl. This will take a few minutes. Then divide the dough into two balls, wrap individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1.5-2 hours. You will visually see chunks of butter in the dough and that is expected. That will make the pastry crust so flaky and absolute perfection!

Mini Pie Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and spray your mini muffin pan with baking spray. Set aside. Once the dough is rolled out to about ¼ or so inch thick, cut it with your largest biscuit cutter. Gently place your dough circles into each muffin well. Prick the bottoms/sides with fork to help release the steam while baking. Repeat until all of the pie crust has been used. Take your egg wash (basically egg whites) and brush it on the inside of each pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes or so or until the crust is golden brown. Remove and let cool.
2. Next up, melt your nut butter in the microwave. I started with about ⅓ cup. Melt until completely liquified. Spoon about a teaspoon or two (fill about half way up the mini pie crust) with peanut butter. Then while that is cooling, melt your chocolate according to your microwave recommended settings or the product’s recommendations for melting. I started out with a few cubes. Remove after 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted. Then spoon over the top of the peanut butter. Dust each with sea salt. Refrigerate until the chocolate sets up, about 40 minutes. 

Recipe from Honest Cooking

French Silk Chocolate Pie

I'm baking again! time for a celebration! Summer has never been the time that I baked. It usually has to be pretty gloomy and cold (obviously when it's warm, I'm outside) and well sorry to break the news to you but it's getting pretty darn cold out there. Now, I'm sure you lovely readers are wondering why didn't she make a pumpkin pie? it's October and Thanksgiving is on Monday and what the heck is French Silk pie?   

Well let me start off will the 101.. + pumpkin recipe out there and not to mention everything else that is pumpkin spiced flavoured... lattes, scones, cupcakes, gelato,... yadda yadda you get the picture. There is only so much pumpkin that is left for me to make at home that isn't a hundred times easier just to buy. So I've left that one to the mass markets and I'll sniff a pumpkin spice candle when i'm in the mood.

lets get the ball rolling, so what is silk pie you ask? well it's pretty much just chocolate pie. But whatever you call it, this French Silk Chocolate Pie is decadent, creamy, silky, and a definite crowd-pleaser. And it is filled with chocolate!

What you need is a simple pie crust, I use a standard recipe like this one. Using a smaller pan to weigh it down and scallop the edges. I bake it at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

See the perfectly golden edge, that is what you want for a tasty crust.

Now the filling recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 ounces, weight Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
• 1 cup Salted Butter, Softened
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 whole Eggs

Preparation Instructions

In small microwave safe bowl melt 4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of regular (salted) butter and 1 ½ cups of white sugar until fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes). When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it over the butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined (on a Kitchen Aid mixer, you will be using the whisk attachment).
Turn your mixer to a medium speed and over a period of 15 to 20 minutes add in the three eggs, one at a time, leaving about 5 minutes between each egg addition. Once the pie filling is well mixed, pour it into the baked pie shell, scraping every last speck of it out of the bowl. Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).
Plop a heap of whipped cream and garnish with a few chocolate curls if you’re feeling sassy.

Recipe taken and adapted from The Pioneer Woman

The Wonders of Marshmallow Fondant and Robotic Hearts

Confused by the title? Well let me explain... a few weeks ago I created a special cake for a very strong and amazing person to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of her heart surgery and 'robotic' heart. As an avid baker I have learned many lessons working with different ingredients and the focus of this cake was the icing. What would I use? classic buttercream? fondant? be understated and un-iced? unfortunately the last option would have only worked if I actually had a heart shaped pan but in this case it was 2 -8 inch rounds hacked into a heart looking shape. as you can imagine not the prettiest for presenting to a friend. Moving on, are you wondering what I used to make the smoothly finished cake below? Marshmallow! surprisingly easy to work with and a million times more tasty then traditional fondant and not to mention cheaper. With the use of some colour gels and a little imagination the marshmallow fondant was ready. <recipe below> 

And here is my friend KD with her finished cake! (unfortunately the lighting was wonky, but she sure looks happy!)

1 Package (500g) white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

1 Package (aprox 500g) icing sugar

1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Instructions:

NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total.

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (By the way, this recipe is also good for your hands. When I’m done, they are baby soft.)

Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. What are you doing Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking.

If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake. It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. MM Fondant icing 

will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make two (2) batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant icing can be prepared well in advance.

Now it’s time to start. Your cake should be baked, and completely cooled. If you have a shaped cake, you can trim it now and then place the cake on a prepared cake board. In other words, you are assembling the cake puzzle on the board. You can also place the cake on the board first and then trim (you must be extra careful not to damage the covered board). I personally find that shaping first is the easiest and then transferring the cake. 

Give the top and sides of the cake a nice thick 1/4-inch coating of Buttercream Icing (click on the underlined for buttercream icing recipe). NOTE: At first I was wondering why I needed to bother with this step. Well, there are a couple of reasons: The buttercream icing helps the fondant icing to “stick” to the cake and this cushion of undercoating icing helps to give you the beautiful smooth nearly perfect finish that you are looking for.

When you are ready to use the rested fondant icing, the first thing you need to do is decide what size you will need to roll your icing to.

Pre-shape your icing into approximately the shape of your cake. For a round cake, make a disk shape. For a rectangular make a log shape. 

For more details and pictures of rolling icing onto your cake visit Whatscookingamerica.net

Also, if you are wondering what the the cake inside was.. a double chocolate flavour with vanilla icing and caramel. Recipe coming soon!

Modern Art Desserts By Caitlin Freeman

I have a mild obsession with this new dessert book that is coming out April 16th. It from the creative minds at Blue Bottle Cafe in the SFMOMA. The desserts are reflective of some amazing pieces of modern art and are a creative challenge that I would love to try.   

 Fuller - Tetrahedra City

 Lichtenstein - Dots

 

Mondrian 

 

Zurier

Sweet Little Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a dessert combo of espresso, rum, and mascarpone perfection. It's only second to creme brulee on my list of favorite desserts. Whenever I go to an Italian restaurant and see tiramisu on the menu my carb and wine stuffed body somehow can still make room for it. This was proven once again at Borgo on Saturday. Enjoying an evening with some great friends and fellow bloggers we filled ourselves with delicious food and desserts before heading to PARKSHOW.

The next post will be more on PARK. For now here are a few pictures of my own Tiramisu (recipe at the bottom) and the tasty dinner and dessert at Borgo.

   Recipe and directions:

Ingredients:

3 - Eggs

1/2 cup - Brown Sugar

1 - Tbsp Rum

1/2 Package Ladyfingers (Aprox. 12)

1 cup espresso coffee (I used instant coffee, it tastes the same!)

1 - Tbsp coco powder

4-5 mini glasses, small mason jars, or wine glasses 
250g Mascarpone

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites into two bowls

Add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk hard until they become pale and a little fluffy. It should take about 5 minutes

Whisk the egg whites till stiff peaks, it shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes at a good steady pace. They will be ready when you can hold them above your head without them falling out. Blizzard style.

Next take a large metal spoonful of mascarpone and gently fold it into the egg yolk and sugar mix combining it with a gently figure of eight movement and once combined do the same with a large spoonful of egg white. Continue this until it's all used up and then add the rum and stir in gently.

Make up your coffee and dip your finger biscuits into it, they only need a very brief dip, then set aside

Now you want to begin the layering process. Start with a layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers which you can squish into the bottom of the glass, followed by a sprinkling of cocoa powder and a tablespoon of the fluffy egg mix, continue this way ending with a layer of fluffy egg mix.

Place the glasses into the fridge to set for at least 2 hours, then sprinkle the top with cocoa powder just before serving

Makes 4-5 serving and the recipe can be doubled for more or larger portions.

Blizzards, Fashion, and Cookies!

So much for easing into spring! We were hit with a blizzard Sunday and it was a bad one. Bad enough I avoided driving until it was necessary and trying to get all the snow off my car was like moving wet sand. Yesterday was the spring preview at Holt Renfrew and a welcoming for the new VP of Fashion Lisa Tant. It was a surprise to me as I still thought she was the Editor and Chief of Flare, but working at Holt is a great move! it was strange looking at all the spring trends while more snow was pouring last night. Will it ever end?

I also tried a new recipe for Chewy Snicker Cookies on Monday and they are my favorite cookies so far! and I've eaten a lot of cookies! they are a chocolate caramel dream with a chewy surprise snickers (or Caramilk, I didn't have enough Snickers) center. The recipe will be at the end of the post.

 Colourful peplum separates are a fun transition into spring and are a great price of $75 each for the top and skirt.

  Clover Canyon is one of my favorite designers when it comes to quirky prints. The one Kim is wearing has a car design when you look a bit closer.

 After the event I headed out with some amazing local blogger to Double Zero which is right across the street from Holt Renfrew for some food and drinks. It was a really great to catch up and have some insightful conversation with Kim, Karolina, KD, and Ashley!

 Also Karolina showed off her incredible jewelry making skills by giving all of us a necklace she created! I'll be wearing this a lot!

Enough blabbing here is the Chewy Snickers Cookie recipe:

 Heat oven to 375 degrees F
Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½  cup sliced Snickers (I didn't have enough snicker at home and used some Caramilk squares as well)
• 1 cup roughly chopped semi sweet chocolat 
• 1/4 Skor bits (Optional, but I think it added a little more flavour)

Instructions:

1. Place flour and baking soda together in a bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
2. Place 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking and using the handle of pan to swirl the butter around in the skillet. Swirl butter constantly until it becomes a dark golden brown in color and gives off a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 6 tablespoons of butter into hot butter until completely melted.
3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to brown butter mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. Add eggs and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Rest mixture for 3 minutes, then whisk for another 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
4. Using a #24 cookie scoop (basically a small ice cream scoop) or using a spoon scoop out approximately two heaping tablespoons of dough and flatten it into a round disc and place a Snickers slice on top. Fold edges over Snickers to seal it in. (*Optional: For added richness press in chopped Snickers on top). Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
5. Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool cookies.

Recipe from BakersRoyale.com

Be Mine Cupcakes

I haven't baked at all since the holidays well because my parents cooked everything and sent me home with so much food and candy. I love Lindt and Turtle chocolates and everyone thought to give me a box of them. So I was set for a few weeks. After finishing the last Turtle I was suddenly hit with the need to bake cake, cupcakes to be more specific. Such a sugar addict!

 

Since Valentines is the next big holiday for you and your special person. Or if the thought of this holiday repels you, screw it and bakes these delicious cupcakes and eat them all yourself! I won't tell.

On to the cupcakes! because that's probably all you cared about and not my ramblings..

Butter pecan cupcake with creme cheese icing and a white chocolate heart.

 

Recipes are linked above as posting them would make this very long. I coloured the icing with some red gel, but if you don't have that a couple of drops of red food colouring will work too. The heart shapes were made by melting some white bakers chocolate and piping it into a heart shaped mold. The one I used is an old ice cube mold from Ikea, which I still think they sell for $1-2.

of Studs and Madeleines

Studded Ballet Flats // Zara : Trousers // H&M Trend

I gave in to my obsessions for shoes and went to Zara and bought these jeweled and studded ballerina flats over the weekend. They are unique and striking with the combination of jewels, studs and a cute ankle strap. The only thing I'm afraid of is wearing them outside in the sub-zero weather and ruining the suede by stepping in slush. So these pretty things might have to wait for a dry and warm day.

Yesterday I also had a bit of time to use my new Madeleine pan and try out a new recipe. It was my first time going to Lina's Italian Market and it was fun to look through all the Italian goods and varieties of pasta, cookware, and of course desserts. Though Madeleines are a French dessert I cannot deny myself a baking pan that only costs $8 compared to the one at Williams-Sonoma that had been keeping my attention for the last few months and retails for $38.

So here's the finished product and my recipe adapted from The Art of French Baking:

Yield: 3 dozen

What you need: 

9 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
1 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting unless you have a non stick pan 
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract, or grated zest of 1 lemon (I used the seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Grease Madeleine molds with butter and lightly dust with flour. Unless yours is non-stick then you can skip this step

Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, until pale and tripled in volume. Slowly fold in the flour and butter, then the vanilla, lemon zest and pinch of salt.

Chill the batter in the refrigerator for two hours before baking (I didn't find a need to do this maybe chill it for 1/2 and hour if you like). Pour into the prepared molds (mine was a bit thick so I spooned it into the molds and spread it around a little), halfway full, and bake for 7-8 minutes.

 These would be a great with your morning coffee or my favorite is dipping them into my hot chocolate after all the whipped cream has been eaten off. 

Stay cozy! 

No Bake Turtle Cheesecake Bites

These no bake turtle cheesecake bites were a real hit on Sunday for our holiday decorating day. They are easy to make and even easier to eat!

What you need:

1 250g container cream cheese 
1/2 - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 
8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate 
3 tbsp chopped pecans, finely chopped 
1/4 cup caramel sauce (or melted caramel squares) 

Combine the cream cheese with 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs. Taste and add more graham cracker crumbs as desired. I found 1 cup of crumbs to be too much, but some people don't care for the taste of cream cheese. Keep in mind that the chocolate and caramel add plenty of sweetness, so you want the cream cheese mixture to still have some tang. Use a melon baller to scoop up 1 1/4" sized balls to a wax-paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until you've scooped up all of the cream cheese. You should have about 25-30 balls. Freeze for 10-15 minutes.

While the cheesecake balls are being chilled, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Using 1 or 2 forks, dip each cheesecake ball into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip away between the tines. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the wax paper on the baking sheet. Repeat for all cheesecake balls.

 Drizzle caramel over each truffle (I used a Ziploc bag and filled it with caramel sauce and cut the tip off to make drizzling easier.) Top each truffle with pecans. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe from Dishing the Devine

Raspberry Almond Cakes, Tré Délicieux!

Since deciding to commit more time to this blog I thought it was only right to start sharing some of my baking. Above is a delicious serving of almond cake topped with some fresh raspberries. I'll say it now, these are not for the diet conscious! they are loaded with butter (10 tbsp to be exact) and yummy almond flavour. That's how the french do it and boy do I love french baking and cooking!

With raspberries in the center and crisp golden edges, these little cakes are pretty enough for a pâtisserie window. This recipe is taken from Elizabeth Bards novel Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes.

3/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground almonds (I purchase mine at Bulk Barn in the Northeast, however you can make your own my simply blending some blanched almonds in a food processor)

1/4 cup flour

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 egg whites

A pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 pint raspberries

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Pulse the sugar in a blender or food processor to obtain a fine powder. (Sometimes I just bash it in the bottom of the bowl with a potato masher.) Combine with the ground almonds and flour.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over gentle heat; let cool.

Whip the egg whites and salt into what the French call a mousse, just till they’re frothy. This takes no time at all, 10 seconds max.”You should stop when you have liquid underneath and bubble bath–like foam on top. Gently fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients.

Fold in the egg yolk and vanilla. Then add the melted butter. Don’t panic; this will look like a flood—just continue to fold gently and the butter will incorporate itself. (not kidding it does look like a flood but it only took 1-2 minutes before it all comes together)

Spoon large, drippy tablespoons of batter into nonstick mini muffin molds; I use flexible silicone ones. Gently place a raspberry in the center of each mini cake. Don’t push it in too far, or it will sink completely during baking. Bake on the center rack for 10 to 11 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden, the insides tender. Here is where mine differs, instead I used 6 larger ramekins because who doesn't want more cake? This also changes the cooking time. Approximately 13-15 minutes depending on your oven 

Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes on wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 6 or however many smaller sizes you want!

 

mmm just look at that texture it just makes you want to savor every bite!