Truffle Doughnuts

These incredible confections were made from a recipe by Sherry Yard. The are crisp and crunchy on the outside and molten chocolate on the inside.

This is an incredible treat that you want to make right before you serve. They need to be eaten hot!

This is so scrumptious that it’s hard to believe it can be this easy. Kudos to Sherry Yard for making a delectable treat so simple, easy and fast.

After I had made the batter, I was wondering how a flash fry (30 seconds on each side in scorching hot oil) would allow the soft batter to cook solidly. Turns out I needn’t have worried. The Panko crust of the exterior fries up crispy and light while the inside turns into molten chocolate. Quite a heady delight!

The perfect nibble

These are the Dark Chocolate Cookies with Hazelnut Filling that I made for my Christmas cookie baskets. A low-calorie option for my health-conscious friends.

“They’re beautiful and delicious. I’m going to enjoy having one each afternoon – the perfect nibble.”

Anne Colby, copy editor on the features desk at the Los Angeles Times

I was doing my holiday baking and I wanted a cookie that my health-conscious friends would enjoy. This cookie was the very thing. I made a batch precisely as the recipe instructed. Then, I thought that this would be the perfect cookie to go the no-sugar, non-dairy route.

So I substituted Earth Balance butter substitute for the butter and used a non-dairy, no sugar hazelnut filling instead of Nutella.

The white chocolate drizzle does have sugar in it, though.

One of my friends, who is allergic to dairy, praised the cookies highly by saying it was unusually moist for a non-dairy cookie. I guess most of the vegan options he has tried are much drier than this luscious cookie. He even suggested that I start selling this tasty new option!!

Want to make them yourself? Click here.

Chocolate Tasting Party

This is a plate of chocolate treats that a guest made up at my Chocolate Tasting Party on Dec. 7. From left is the Mardi Gras Cake, Valrhona Bites, Truffle Doughnut and Cappuccino Cake.

I usually do a holiday cookie basket for close friends and relatives. This year I couldn’t decide what my chocolate part of the basket would be so I decided to host a party where the guests would vote on which they prefer.

I made Thomas Keller’s Chocolate Bouchon which I called a Valhrona Bite; Sherry Yard’s Dark, Decadent Doughnut which I called a Truffle Doughnut; Jim Dodge’s Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Cake which I called a Mardi Gras Cake (since it’s a party in your mouth) and my sister, Suki, contributed her Cappuccino Cake which was a chocolate-espresso confection. Click the links for the recipe.

It was a fun afternoon full of chocolate and friends. In the end, the Truffle Doughnut narrowly edged out the Mardi Gras Cake. Unfortunately, since the Truffle Doughnut needs to be served hot it wasn’t the best choice for sending in the mail.