rest in chocolate

ricgac1

This Halloween, the hubby and I were invited to participate in celebrations in a part of town called Taman TAR (Tun Abdul Razak).  It’s a nice little residential area surrounding a golf club and, being that it’s the tropics, there’s a hill laden with wild monkeys who are a general nuisance, snatching food from residents and chasing joggers (but not, oddly enough, walkers).

Back in Washington, DC, the hubby and I lived in a building surrounded by childless young professionals. This was our first Halloween in awhile where we’d actually see real, live trick-or-treaters, and I really wanted to get into the spirit and, well, let’s be honest, make the children like me.  To celebrate the occasion, I made a dozen of these little cupcakes.  I’m not much of a baker, but Halloween is a holiday that just screams for sugar.  It was the hubby’s idea to make the tombstones, and I was quite pleased at how they turned out.


Next year, though, I’m reverting back to my original idea of a Halloween pork tenderloin.  Those kids need something to stick to their bones while they’re out hunting for candy, and nothing says scary more than a dozen tenderloin-wielding children running from a pack of wild monkeys.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Add this chocolate frosting to any basic chocolate cake recipe (I used Dorie Greenspan‘s recipe from Baking from My Home to Yours) to punch it up a bit, and everyone will think you’re a gourmand baker!

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into chunks
5 to 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Place the bittersweet chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water (to create a double boiler).  Stir chocolate until just melted, then remove bowl from heat.  Let stand for 3-4 minutes and prepare a large mixing bowl filled with ice and water.  Place bowl with chocolate over mixing bowl with iced water and whisk butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the chocolate is thickened into a ganache.  Use immediately to frost a chocolate cake.

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biscuitwheelssays:

Nope — luckily the monkey hill was far from the trick-or-treaters! Glad you’re enjoying it!

 
Beccasays:

please tell me you have a video of children in costumes running from wild monkeys! love the blog, thanks for sharing!

 
The Business Casualsays:

The things I like most about this entry: that monkeys are discerning in who/what they chase and when; imaging you giving pork tenderloin to a tiny princess and a tiny Spiderman. That’s worse than when you had to trick-or-treat for Unicef and got coins instead of candy.

 
biscuitwheelssays:

If you liked all those things about my post, well, get this little tidbit of information: if you carry a rubber snake (like a toy one), the monkeys will leave you alone. It’s like there’s some secret monkey code.

And you know, if someone had given me a pork tenderloin as a kid, when I was dressed like a clown, I would’ve gladly given all my candy back for it.

 
Dave at eRecipeCardssays:

Greetings. This is my first time on your blog, but you have a terrific one. I am always on the look out for new blogs, new ideas. I especially appreciate all the details you d0. Great photos makes it seem like anyone can replicate the recipe!

I am asking, would you please consider posting a few of your favorite recipes on erecipecards.com
http://erecipecards.com/

It is a tool for bloggers to see and to be seen. Your posts would fit in perfectly.

in addition, all photos, recipe titles as well as your blog name would link directly back to your blog. Thus giving you new attention and potentially new readers.

Or, if you just want to take a look at a lot of fellow food bloggers all in one place. A great learning experience to get ideas about how to establish your own blogging voice!

Please take a look. If you have any ideas or questions, please do not hesitate to write

Dave
http://erecipecards.com/
Contact@eRecipeCards.com

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About me

I’m Ann, a mom / wife / lawyer / certified culinary enthusiast. I share recipes, travel guides and home life tips while living overseas. Currently based in São Paulo, Brazil.

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