Chocolate Bundt with Snickers Glaze

This recipe comes from the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook. I made just a few minor modifications and added the Snickers bars as suggested on this post for some extra texture and flavor. The bundt is moist and heavy, yet not too sweet or rich. Combined with the Snickers glaze, it is a wonderful dessert that I will make again. This is one of those desserts that you look at as you sit down for dinner and know that you are going to have to save room for it. The recipe below yields one 10-inch Bundt and serves 12-16.

HELPFUL HINTS
1. I don't drink coffee so I used Pero, a coffee substitute and it tasted great.
2. Though I added Snickers, you could really use any candybar or you could leave it without and you'd still have a delicious cake.
3. I also floured the bundt pan after buttering it just to make sure it didn't stick.

INGREDIENTS
Cake
1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbs brewed coffee
3/4 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups sugar.
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 whole eggs plus 1 yolk
1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbs buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 Tbs canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups, plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted

Glaze
6 ounce bittersweet chocolate
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream at room temp
1/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled
4 snickers bars, regular size

DIRECTIONS
Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350F with the oven rack placed in the center.
2. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan with unsalted butter.
3. Place coffee and cocoa powder in a small saucepan.















4. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly.
5. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs and egg yolk on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.















7. Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract and mix it for another 30 seconds















8. Add the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.















9. Add the cooled cocoa mixture and mix on high for 3 minutes.



10. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour or until the toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.















11. Let the cake cool down completely in the pan and then invert it onto a cooling rack.















Glaze
1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a double broiler over simmering water.
2. Once the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat.
3. Melt the butter in a separate bowl, then whisk into the chocolate mixture.
4. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, whisking to combine.
5. Whisk in the sour cream.
6. Whisk in the remaining powdered sugar.
7. Add the coffee and whisk to create a glossy glaze.
8. Chop the snickers into small pieces and stir into the glaze gently, leaving extra pieces for sprinkling.















9. Cover the cake with the glaze and allow to keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Wedge

I am a huge blue cheese fan and this is my favorite salad as it combines the great taste of blue cheese with crisp iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, bacon pieces, sliced red onion, all in a homemade buttermilk blue dressing. My kids don't like blue cheese but devour this salad every time. Maybe I should tell them what those chunks are. The recipe below yields 6 servings. Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINTS
1. The dressing can be made a few days in advance. When refrigerating, cover with plastic wrap and push down onto the surface of the dressing in the bowl to prevent it from crusting.
2. The buttermilk adds a great texture and flavor to this dressing but is not required. Add it in small amounts until the desired taste and consistency is reached.
3. You can use any kind of blue cheese. The most commonly found varieties in the store are Blue cheese (French, usually used in desserts, mild), Gorgonzola (Italian, used in cooking, sandwiches or desserts, sweet), and Roquefort (used in desserts, sharp).

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese
Buttermilk, to taste
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large head of iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 wedges, each with some core attached
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced (optional)
4 Roma tomatoes, diced

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl.
















2. Add blue cheese and stir until well blended.
3. Add buttermilk until desired consistency is reached.


















4. Arrange lettuce on plates.
5. Spoon dressing over lettuce.
6. Add crumbled bacon.
7. Garnish with tomatoes and red onion if desired.