Southern Biscuits and Gravy

I’m from Maryland but when it comes to food, I am a true southern girl through and through. My Mom was born in Kentucky and raised in Tennessee and all I ever knew was her southern cooking growing up. You can’t claim to be southern if you don’t know this next recipe. I am crazy about Gravy and Biscuits and make them all the time.

Southern Gravy and Biscuits

Milk Gravy

1/4 cup bacon drippings

1/4 cup all-purpose flour2 cups milk, room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste

I like to fry up some bacon for a side dish so I can use the drippings.  Once you fry it or bake it, remove the bacon to a plate.  What you have in the skillet then will be the base for your gravy.

Using the same frying pan that you cooked your bacon in, add flour to the drippings and whisk until it begins to turn a light brown. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook until the gravy is smooth and thick.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup very cold butter, cut into small chunks about the size of sugar cubes
1 cup very cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Toss the butter chunks into the flour mixture.   Using a fork or pastry cutter, mash the butter chunks into quarter-sized pieces.  

Mix the cold buttermilk into the flour/butter mixture, tossing briskly with a fork to evenly distribute the buttermilk so no dry bits of flour are visible.  The dough will be sticky but should clear the sides of the bowl.

Scrape the biscuit mixture out onto a lightly-floured work surface and gather, with floured hands, into a ball.  Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.  Fold into thirds and rotate dough 90 degrees, dusting work surface with flour.  Roll out to about 1-inch thick. 

Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, press down on the cutter, but do not turn or twist, dipping the cutter or glass into the flour after each cut.  Place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet, close together.  Bake approximately 15 to 20 minutes, without opening the oven door, until the biscuits have risen and the tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and split or cut the biscuits in half and top with the prepared hot Milk Gravy. Serve warm.

Biscuits Making Hints and Tips:

For tender and flaky biscuits, make sure the butter is as cold as you can get it. I keep mine in the freezer.  Try to use your hands as little as possible. Excess handling causes tough biscuits.  

Always bake biscuits on cookie sheets or pans without sides.  The heat will circulate more evenly than on pans with sides.  Remove from oven and immediately remove from baking sheet.

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Frozen Chocolate Mousse Bombe

This is one of those recipes I make for special occasions. It is my show stopper when I walk into the room and I love to hear all the ooohhs and aaaahhs.  It is the perfect cake for Christmas with a few berries around the outside or the perfect Valentines day dessert with some hearts sprinkled on top.  It’s really not hard to make and you’re guest will love it.

Frozen Chocolate Mousse Bombe

Cake:

1 stick unsalted butter
8 oz Ghirardelli chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" cake pan with parchment and grease the bottom and sides with a bit of butter. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate and the butter in a glass bowl in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring at each break until everything is smooth. Set aside.

Place the eggs, yolk and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted whisk on high until light in color and slightly thickened (about 5 min). Using a rubber spatula fold in the chocolate and butter mixture just until it's incorporated. Try not to mix too much or you'll lose the volume you just whipped into it. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly and bake for about 25 min, or until a toothpick in the center comes up clean. Cool completely at room temp before removing from the pan. Set aside. 
 

Mousse

8 oz Ghirardelli chocolate (divided), coarsely chopped
1/4 cup freshly brewed coffee
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons sugar
3 egg whites
2 cups heavy cream

Melt 5 oz of the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave at 20 second intervals , stirring at each stop until it's smooth. Set aside. 

Combine coffee, honey, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 min. While the syrup is cooking combine the egg whites and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl of a mixer and when the syrup is almost ready, start whipping the egg whites on high and whip until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.

Your syrup should be ready now, so lower the speed to low and slowly add it to the egg whites. Then turn up the speed to high and whip until very thick (about 4 min).  Carefully fold in the melted chocolate. 

In a separate bowl whisk the heavy cream on medium-high until stiff peaks form, then fold that into the chocolate meringue until it's uniform. Keep in the fridge until needed.  Melt the remaining 3 oz chocolate the same way as before, let it cool a bit and transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 cups of the chocolate mousse. Fold with a rubber spatula until combined.

Lightly spray the inside of a 9 inch large bowl with non-stick and line with plastic wrap, making sure to leave lots of wrap hanging over the sides. Spoon the chocolate mousse into the bowl and use an offset spatula to make sure it's spread evenly and that there are no air bubbles.

Top with the cake and press down a bit to make sure there are no air bubbles or gaps trapped in between. Cover the top with the ends of the plastic wrap, adding more if needed and put in the freezer. It will need to chill at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

When you are ready to assemble the bombe, place a cooling rack on a baking sheet.   Lay a 9 inch round parchment paper on rack. Remove the bowl from the freezer, unfold the plastic wrap from the bottom and flip onto  the paper. If the dome doesn't pop right out of the bowl, soak a towel in hot water, wrap it around the bottom and sides of the bowl and hold it there for a few seconds, then try to unmold again.  You may need to tug gently at the plastic wrap to help it along.

Glaze:

8 oz  Ghirardelli chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salted caramel sauce, optional

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream, honey, and butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat and stir to combine.  Stir constantly so that milk doesn’t boil over. When you see small bubbles start to form around the edges take it off the heat and pour over the chocolate in your bowl. Let it stand for a minute and then stir with a whisk until smooth. 

Pour the glaze over the bombe, letting excess drip down onto the baking sheet. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with salted caramel sauce if desired.  Return it to the freezer to set for 30 minutes. 

Store the bombe in the freezer, but take it out 20 min or so before serving to let it soften a bit, otherwise it will be really hard to cut. Enjoy!

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German Chocolate Cake

When I was little I would get so excited watching my Mom make my Dad's birthday cake. His favorite was German Chocolate and she made it every year right on up until the year she moved to Heaven.  When I was little, I couldn't wait to put the candles on and carry it out to him singing happy birthday. He would laugh and be so delighted with his favorite cake. I have now carried on this tradition. When I light the candles and carry it out to him, he bows his head and cries.

German Chocolate Cake

Cake

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons water
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cup sugar
4 egg yolks (separate yolks and whites in two small bowls)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, toasted lightly and finely chopped
1 1/3 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted

Frosting

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9-inch cake pans, and then  line the bottom of each pan with rounds of parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Pour the water into a small microwave safe bowl and then add the two chocolates. Microwave on 50% for about 30 seconds and stir. Do this again for another 30 seconds and then stir until smooth.  Set the chocolate aside to cool to room temperature.

 In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1¼ cup of the sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the melted chocolate until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, mixing until combined, and then add the remainder of the flour mixture.   

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the ¼ cup of sugar and beat until they form stiff, glossy peaks.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there’s no trace of egg white visible.

Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake layers completely (leave them in the pans).

Filling and Topping

Lightly toast your pecans in a skillet over medium heat.  Next stir together the heavy cream, sugar and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Put the butter, salt, pecans and coconut in a large bowl and set aside. Heat the cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir) until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the hot mixture immediately into the pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature.

Chocolate Frosting

Place the chopped chocolate, corn syrup and butter in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute and then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.  Once the filling and icing are both cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the cake layers from the pans and with a long, sharp serrated knife, cut both cake layers in half horizontally so you have four cake layers. Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Spread ¾ cup of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top. Repeat this process over each layer, including the top.  Frost the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

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Chocolate Fudge Frosted Cake

I love watching cooking shows and my favorites are Paula Deen, Ina Garten, Trisha Yearwood and old Tyler Florence's old reruns. So one day I watched Ina make a beautiful yellow cake and top it with a luscious chocolate frosting, I knew I had to make it. But a big cake is just too much for one or two people.  So I made a six inch cake and a half a dozen cupcakes out of the rest of the batter! I sliced a piece of cake, set aside a cupcake and froze the rest!  This recipe is for a 9 inch double layer cake.  You will have batter and frosting left over for your cupcakes.

Chocolate Fudge Frosted Cake

For the Yellow Cake

• ▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup oil
• ▢ 2 cups sugar
• ▢ 3 large eggs , at room temperature
• ▢ 2 large egg yolks , at room temperature
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk , at room temperature

Line two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix sugar and butter for a 3 minutes. Add oil and mix well again. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and mix. 

Stir together baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour in a medium bowl. Alternate adding in some of the flour mixture, stirring to combine and then some of the buttermilk, ending with the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Divide the batter evenly in the pans. 

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with few moist crumbs. Don't over-bake or the cake will be dry. Invert cakes onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

6 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder (optional but good!)

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Add butter to a large bowl and with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 more minutes. 

Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Again this makes a single 8 or 9 inch cake.  If you choose to make the smaller 6 inch cake as I did, you will have batter and frosting left over to make your cupcakes. 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.