Healthy Eating Series: Chocolate Angel Food Cake w/ Fruit & Maple Yogurt

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 egg whites (or 1 1/2 cups prepackaged egg whites

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups fresh strawberries

4 cups fresh raspberries

1/4 cup peach nectar

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt

2 tablespoons maple syrup

PREPARATION

Transfer the oven rack to the lowest level. Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift 1 cup sugar with flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer set at medium-high speed, whip egg whites, lemon juice, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl until peaks form. Set mixer to high speed and whip in remaining 1/2 cup sugar until semistiff peaks form (do not overbeat). With a plastic spatula, slowly fold in the remaining dry ingredients, 1/4 cup at a time, until flour mix disappears. Scoop batter into a 10" ungreased tube pan and spread evenly. Bake until cake springs back when touched, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven, invert cake pan, and place upside down on a cooling rack. Thoroughly wash and dry berries. Combine berries, nectar, and honey in a small bowl. Mix slowly, being careful not to crush the berries. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt and syrup until blended. Remove cake gently from pan and cut into 8 slices. Serve each slice with fruit and a dollop of maple yogurt.

                                                            {Courtesy of Epicurious}                                                              

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Fancy Cupcake Decor!

Bella Cupcake Couture  are cupcake wrappers made with durable, heavy-stock recycled linen paper and soy-based inks. They're meant to make cupcakes look fancy rather than looking bland in the standard cups that cupcakes are usually baked in. Bella Cupcake Couture wrappers come 12 to a package and retail for $12.

Cake Stands by Clara French

These cake standsby Clara French are beautiful. This is a wonderful way to display your wedding cake and the cake stand. The cake stand can also be personalized for you and they are for purchase as well as for rent. Check out some of the different styles!

Thanks Dad!

Don't forget Father's Day! Try this Chocolate Bread Parfaits recipe from renown chef Lidia Bastianich. This will certainly make it a sweet day for dear old Dad!

Total Time: 30 minutes

6 Servings

Melt 8 ounces of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

In heatproof bowl, mix 1/2 cup brewed espresso with 2 tablespoons each of sugar and dark rum; whisk into the chocolate.

Add 6 cups crust less, 1-inch Pullman bread cubes and let stand for 5 minutes.

Whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

Spoon half of the soaked bread and excess chocolate into 6 parfait glasses.

Top with half of the whipped cream and 1/2 cup toast slivered almonds.

Repeat the layering, then serve.

Sweet Decadence: Triple Chocolate-Cookie Trifle Pie

INGREDIENTS

3 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided

1 1/2 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped

1 (4-oz.) white chocolate baking bar, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (12.5-oz.) package assorted cookies

2 tablespoons mocha liqueur (optional)

2 (6-oz.) containers fresh raspberries

PREPARATION

1. Microwave 1/2 cup cream at HIGH 30 seconds to 1 minute or until hot (do not boil). Place bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate, and stir until smooth. Repeat procedure with 1/4 cup cream and white chocolate. (If chocolate does not melt completely after stirring, microwave at HIGH for 10-second intervals just until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.) Stir 1/2 tsp. vanilla into each chocolate mixture until well blended. Cool 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, let 2 1/2 cups cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

3. Beat 1 1/2 cups cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until medium peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of whipped cream into cool bittersweet chocolate mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining whipped cream.

4. Beat remaining 1 cup cream at medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of whipped cream into cool white chocolate mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining whipped cream.

5. Crush 6 to 7 cookies to equal 1/2 cup crumbs. Sprinkle on bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Spread half of bittersweet chocolate mixture over crushed cookies in pan. Arrange cookies around sides of pan (about 19 cookies). Spread white chocolate mixture over bittersweet chocolate mixture.

6. Crush remaining cookies, and sprinkle over white chocolate mixture in springform pan. Drizzle with liqueur, if desired. Spread remaining bittersweet chocolate mixture over crushed cookies. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

7. Remove sides from pan. Mound raspberries in center of trifle; brush with Raspberry Glaze. Serve immediately.

RASBERRY GLAZE

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

2 teaspoons water

Raspberry Glaze: Combine 3 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam and 2 tsp. water in a small glass bowl. Microwave at HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or until smooth.

Prep: 25 min., Cool: 20 min., Chill: 8 hr.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

{Courtesy of Southen Living}