I have to share this absolutely delicious recipe for chocolate icing that I made for Travis on Father's Day.
I adapted it a little from my new "Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free" cookbook only because I did not have the exact ingredients it called for but it turned out utterly divine!
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (or bittersweet)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup light corn syrup (or agave nectar)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
* Melt chocolate chips and stir until smooth
*Let cool to room temperature
* Beat the butter until smooth. Combine the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.
**Do not over mix, as this will cause the butter to melt**
*Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat until blended.
* Stir several times with spatula and ice cake
It's obvious that using ingredients like these (i.e. over 1 cup butter) will provide rich and decadent results.
But I also think how much better it is using ingredients like these compared to the unpronounceable ingredients often found in store-bought products, such as icing.
When I'm baking I often think about how my mom only uses butter in her baking and cooking. Pure and natural, instead of using products filled with chemicals. No wonder her baking always stands out among the best I have ever had.
I think that's part of why I really enjoy cooking and baking, knowing what ingredients I am putting in my food and in my body. And this little body...
Chocolate cake and an afternoon nap made for a happy day!
