Housewarming Party

we had a housewarming party saturday night. we invited some friends and everyone in our building. it was fun to finally get to meet some of our neighbors. we served wine and cheese, an artichoke dip, and a few desserts. here's the recipes...



...recipe from the september 2006 issue of Bon Appetit magazine
le bete noir
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
9 tablespoons butter
18 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs

for the ganache
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 10-inch spring form pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper round and then butter the parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy duty foil around the outside of the pan, bringing the foil up to the rim. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to the boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Gradually add the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth and melted. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate, cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared plan. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to to roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pan.

Bake until the center of the cake no longer moves when the pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath, transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

For the ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake still in the pan. Gently shake the pan to distribute evenly over the top of the cake. Refrigerate until ganache is set, about 2 hours.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

...recipe from the december 2006 issue of Bon Appetit
chocolate peppermint stars
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped peppermint candy canes

Mix flour, cocoa, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients; beat until dough holds together. Divide dough in half and shape into discs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 45 minutes.

Set rack in center of the oven and preheat to 300 F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch star shaped cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather scraps into ball. Wrap; chill until firm, about 30 minutes

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until tops feel firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking until all dough is used.

Melt chocolate. Using a small spoon, drizzle chocolate over cookies in zigzag lines. Sprinkle with crushed candies. Drizzle remaing chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

...recipe for the cheesecake is here
i made a few changes and made this one a lemon cheesecake with gingersnap crust. i just used gingersnaps instead of graham cracker crumbs in the crust. i added lemon juice and lemon zest to the cheesecake.