Makes about one quart

For the chocolate-covered Pop Rocks:

• 3/4 cup white chocolate, chopped or in chunks, cold and divided
• 20 grams (2 packets) Pop Rocks

For the ice cream:

• 2 cups half-and-half (or one cup whole milk and one cup heavy cream)
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped

For the chocolate-covered Pop Rocks

1. In a double-boiler, melt half a cup of the white chocolate over medium heat, stirring with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat and pour the melted chocolate into a bowl.
2. A few pieces at a time, add the remaining cold white chocolate chunks to the melted white chocolate while stirring. Allow the chocolate chunks to thoroughly incorporate into the melted chocolate before adding more. Continue adding the cold white chocolate while stirring until the mixture has a paste-like consistency and is cold enough that the cold chunks do not readily melt.
3. Test the white chocolate by sprinkling a few Pop Rocks on it. If they start to pop, the chocolate is still too hot. Add some more cold chunks to bring the temperature down.
4. When the chocolate is cool enough that the Pop Rocks do not pop on it, add the rest of the Pop Rocks and gently mix them into the white chocolate.
5. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper and refrigerate several hours until hard.
6. Break or dice the bark into small pieces, and either use immediately or return to the fridge until the ice cream is ready.

For the ice cream

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, vanilla bean, and half the sugar, and bring to a simmer over medium heat while stirring.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining quarter cup of sugar together until pale and thick.
3. When the half-and-half mixture comes to a simmer, remove it from the heat and add half a cup of the hot mixture to the egg yolk mixture while whisking to raise the temperature of the eggs. While continuing to whisk the mixture, slowly add the hot half-and-half mixture to the egg yolks, working a cup at a time so the eggs do not curdle. Return the mixture to the saucepan and stir over low heat until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Strain the mixture into a bowl and allow it to come to room temperature. Add the strawberries, then cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight.
5. Churn the mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Five minutes from the end of the cycle, slowly add the white chocolate-covered Pop Rocks and allow the churning to complete.

When tasted, the Pop Rocks should start to fizz as the white chocolate melts in your mouth.

I dunno about the non-peppered thick cut jerky (but I imagine you just make jerky and… not pepper it. I’ll try finding recipes), but we DO have a Winter tag you may be interested in!

-Wolf

For cake

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze

• 2 cups chopped pecans (71/2 ounces)
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Special equipment: a 9-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan

Make cake:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pan well and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
2. Melt butter (2 sticks) in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl, then sift again into cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (don’t worry if there are lumps).
4. Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 45 to 55 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
5. Cool cake in pan on a rack 20 minutes, then loosen edges with a thin knife and invert onto a plate.

Make glaze:

1. Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool pecans slightly in pan on a rack, about 5 minutes.
2. Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then stir in half-and-half and confectioners sugar. Add chocolate and cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and salt. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
3. Spoon glaze over top and sides of cake (cake will still be warm) and spread with a small offset spatula or knife to cover completely.

You know what’s good for carnivores, especially dragons and other types with pawsies that can hold their meat?

Thick cut jerky.

Not your lame grocery store jerky, oh no. Big, thick, tough pieces you have to drool over and rip and rend and growl at anyone who gets too close.

Peppered is always good too.

Pictured.

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 lb fresh broccoli
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 medium carrots, cut into very thin strips
• 1 1/2 lbs small fresh mushrooms, halved

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients; set aside.
2. Separate broccoli in to flowerets; cut stalks into ¼-inch slices; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet at medium-high heat until hot.
4. Add in onion; stir-fry 2 minutes; add in broccoli and carrot; stir-fry until crisp-tender.
5. Add in mushrooms; stir-fry 2 minutes.
6. Stir in cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 (18 ounce) box cake mix (yellow, white, spice)

Directions:

1. Mix both together until smooth.
2. Spoon into muffin tin (either lightly sprayed or with muffin cups).
3. Bake as directed on cake box.
4. Makes 24 muffins.

The world’s first edible spray paint — the cans, called ‘Food Finish,’ come in gold, silver, red and blue. The spray paint has no taste by itself and can be applied on any item of food to offer a quirky alternative to regular meals. To give the food a makeover, cooking enthusiasts must spray the paint layer by layer and wait for it to dry to enjoy the perfect finish. The unique idea was created by German food company, The Deli Garage and sell for £21.50 online.

(original post by malformalady)

I added a click through link so you can get to the site. You’re going to have to translate it if you don’t read German, but it’s certainly a good idea. It’s like cute little spray paint cans. That’s adorable.

-Wolf

(via Habanero Garlic Jelly « this french farmhouse)