Recipe: Oreo Cookie and Chocolate Ice Cream Calypso Pie

Oreo Cookies Image: Ah, childhood pleasures of licking the filling off the cookie and then dunking it in a cold glass of milk... by penguincakes via Flickr

From Denny: This recipe is quite the calorie buster and a definite show-off for the holidays or entertaining! It comes from the Southern Recipe Restoration Project that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is sponsoring. There are a lot of interesting easy recipes you can do with Oreo cookies and this cookie crust for this intriguing special pie is just one of many.

From: Ashley Leckey, a Tallahassee native and University of Georgia graduate who has lived in Atlanta since 2004. This recipe comes from her jack-of-all-trades grandmother, Cele Marcoux, who was an editor at a newspaper, had a line of luxury ties, worked in a dental lab and was even a nurse in the Army. Now that's job experience!

Marcoux often flavored this recipe with her own homemade liqueur and used the sauce recipes supplied below too.

Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), divided

18 Oreo cookies, crushed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 quart coffee ice cream (or 1 quart vanilla bean ice cream plus coffee-flavored liqueur to taste; see link below to separate recipe)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter; press into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch pie plate and chill.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and remaining butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and salt. Add the evaporated milk gradually, blending well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts.

Set aside to cool to room temperature. When the shell is chilled and the sauce has cooled, set out the ice cream to soften slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Fill the pie shell with the ice cream. Put the pie in the freezer until ice cream is firm again.

In the meantime, beat the whipping cream until it just holds a peak. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Spread the fudge sauce over the ice cream layer, then mound the top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pecans. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Remove and let sit a few minutes before slicing.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 482 calories (percent of calories from fat, 63), 5 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 35 grams fat (17 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 261 milligrams sodium.



Coffee-flavored Liqueur

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: Makes 1 gallon

Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar

6 1/2 cups water, divided

1 cup instant coffee

1 (375 milliliter) bottle 190-proof grain alcohol, such as Everclear (some of us might prefer a better quality vodka)

2 vanilla beans

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; simmer for 20 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, mix instant coffee with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cool. Combine both mixtures; add alcohol and remaining 2 cups water. Pour into four 16-ounce bottles and add 1/2 vanilla bean to each.

Nutrition:

Per ounce: 48 calories (no calories from fat), trace protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.



Copycat Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: Makes 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, stir together sugar and cocoa. Add milk and syrup and stir until blended. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil; continue stirring and boiling for 8 minutes. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter and stir until melted, then add the cream. Return to the heat and boil an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool; store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. To serve, uncover and heat the jar in a saucepan of warm water for a few minutes (or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds).

Nutrition:

Per tablespoon: 73 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), trace protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 9 milligrams cholesterol, 21 milligrams sodium.


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Recipe: Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce - from Soho

Photo from Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce

From: Soho restaurant, featured in Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From Denny: We love bread pudding in the South! And, ever since I was eleven years old and spent the summer with my Aunt Noelle after my mother died that May right before school let out, I've had a love affair with all things chocolate. Back then, no one ever heard of chocolate bread pudding. But, my Aunt Noelle, an English teacher, was a creative woman and loved to please others so she devised a chocolate version for me - and as a diversion away from the loss of my mother. We spent the whole summer cooking and baking like it was a culinary school!

Today, trained chefs have taken over our childhood fantasies and created more sophisticated versions that are pure Heaven! Take a look at this gem I found today! I could pass on the caramel sauce and enjoy with a little powdered sugar and fresh strawberries. I prefer to get down to the business of diving into pure chocolate. :)

Which do you prefer: caramel sauce or no sauce?

Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce

From the menu of . . . Soho
4300 Paces Ferry Road S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
770-801-0069

Q: I recently dined at SoHo in Vinings, and after dinner everyone in my party insisted that I try the chocolate bread pudding for dessert. It was divine! - Tom Reagan, Winston

A: SoHo co-owner Frank Smith wasn't surprised by the request; he says the chocolate bread pudding has been the restaurant's top-selling dessert for nine years. "When you see it, you think it's going to be very dense and heavy, but it's very light and airy - and people love it, " he said. "It's not your typical fudge brownie dessert."

Chocolate Bread Pudding With Clear Caramel Sauce

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 quart heavy whipping cream

1 pound (about 7 slices) fresh bread crumbs

11 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

8 egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Clear Caramel Sauce (see recipe below)

Clear Caramel Sauce:

Yield: 1 cup

Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Directions: Although the sauce will nearly solidify as it cools, it melts quickly in the microwave.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup water, divided

Directions:

For Pudding:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a tea kettle of water to a simmer. In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Meanwhile, place the bread crumbs and chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Lightly coat an 8-by-12-inch or 9-by-13-inch pan with butter; set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar. Whisk in a small amount of the heated cream, then whisk the egg yolk mixture into the hot cream. Remove the saucepan from the heat; whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour the cream mixture over the bread crumbs and chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted.

Transfer to the prepared pan. Place the pan in a larger baking dish and pour the simmering water into the outer pan, about 1 inch up the sides. Bake the bread pudding in its water bath for 30 to 40 minutes, until set in the center. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce. (Note: Bread pudding can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 325 degree oven or in the microwave.)

For Clear Caramel Sauce:

Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy saucepan. Cook over high heat, swirling occasionally to dissolve sugar, and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid turns caramel in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully add remaining 1/2 cup water and swirl to dissolve. Transfer mixture to heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl. Cool slightly before serving, or cool to room temperature and then reheat a few seconds in microwave before serving.

Per serving: 129 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), no protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.

Notes:

Any recipe that starts with a quart of heavy cream has just got to be good. And this one just keeps getting better, with bittersweet chocolate and an easy-to-make caramel sauce.

Tester's note: Quality bittersweet chocolate can be expensive and a bit hard to find. A reasonable substitute is to use 1 (12-ounce) bag of miniature semisweet chocolate chips, minus 1/4 cup. Because semisweet chocolate is sweeter than bittersweet, reduce the granulated sugar from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 876 calories (percent of calories from fat, 70), 14 grams protein, 56 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 73 grams fat (42 grams saturated), 376 milligrams cholesterol, 363 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Kentucky Derby Tartlets

From Denny: Found this little gem of a recipe over at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Tartlet desserts are popular for entertaining in Louisiana and this season of horse racing is no exception.

Of course, like a lot of Americans I watched all the drama of the horse races. Why? Louisiana's Jockey Calvin Borel was in all of them, a female horse won - I had to cheer for girl power since it was the first time in over 70 years a filly won anything significant - and lastly, though I did not grow up there I was born in Kentucky and some things you just can't get out of a person - like loving horses.

Image via Wikipedia

For the recipe, just remember: Louisiana has FABULOUS pecans!

I left the recipe's prelude text in its entirety from the Atlanta Journal because I find it interesting to trace how a recipe makes its rounds and it gives the reader a flavor of the food writing in that part of America:

What Can I Bring?

Make and take: Make these surprisingly simple treats ahead of time and store in an air-tight container at room temperature. They also freeze well.

Made famous by: Joan Demer of Stone Mountain, who got the recipe from her daughter in Virginia. "I've had compliments whenever I've served it, " she said.

Frozen pre-made phyllo shells make this take on pecan tassies a breeze. To toast pecans, spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake 5 to 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned.

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 45

Ingredients:

45 mini phyllo shells, such as Athens brand

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate miniature morsels

1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/4 cup bourbon

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the shells on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the miniature morsels into the shells, dividing evenly. In a mixing bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, butter, bourbon and beaten egg; stir well. Spoon the mixture into the shells, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until set and golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

Tip: If you have any leftover filling, you can cook it in the microwave and serve it over vanilla ice cream, Demer said.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 60 calories (percent of calories from fat, 43), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 41 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Black Bottom Pie

From Denny: Now here's a favorite in Southern homes! The calories are a lot less than most desserts that chefs are making in their restaurants. Chef desserts run in the 600 - 900 calorie range whereas this little gem comes in at 332 for a generous slice. Give this classic a try! The description is awesome!

From: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Elizabeth Wilson, an Atlanta-born writer who lives in Stone Mountain, says she got this recipe from her mother, who said that she got it 50 years ago from a Dobbs House Restaurant. Atlanta cooking teacher Virginia Willis, who tested the recipe, says: "The chocolate layer, or black bottom, is very similar to a firm ganache, normally made from heavy cream and chocolate. . . It's rich, thick and slightly dense. The rum-flavored layer is spongy and light, and not very sweet. The combination, especially with the pillow-soft layer of whipped cream, is not only visually stunning, but a textural explosion in the mouth."

Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Serves: 2 (9-inch) pies, 6 to 8 slices each

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 large eggs, separated (see note)

2 cups whole milk

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 prebaked pie crusts or chocolate cookie crusts

1/4 cup cold water

1 1/2 envelopes (about 3 3/4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1/2 teaspoon dark rum or rum-flavored extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup heavy cream, well-chilled

Sifted cocoa, grated chocolate or cacao nibs, for garnish


Instructions:

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Add yolks and whisk well to combine. Slowly whisk in milk and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally with a dry wooden spoon, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Once the cornstarch mixture thickens, pour half into the melted chocolate. Stir to combine and add vanilla. Divide mixture between the 2 prepared pie crusts; set aside. This forms the black bottom layer.

Place the water in a liquid measuring cup. Add the gelatin and stir to combine. Add this mixture to the remaining cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Add rum or rum extract and stir to combine. Set aside for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture just starts to set, or congeal.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With the machine on medium-high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Increase the speed to high, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Slowly, steadily add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Take about 1/3 of the beaten whites and add to the rum-flavored mixture and stir well to combine. Pour that lightened mixture over the whites and fold to combine. Once the mixture is smooth, pour the rum-flavored mixture over the chocolate bottoms in the pie crusts. Refrigerate to set, at least 1 hour.

While the pies are chilling, place a clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, making sure the cream and equipment are well-chilled, place the bowl on a mixer fitted with the chilled whisk attachment. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Top the set pies with the whipped cream and serve. Garnish with cocoa, chocolate or cacao nibs, as desired.

Note: To avoid the very small risk of bacteria contamination posed by raw egg whites, use 2/3 cup pure liquid pasteurized egg whites instead.

Nutrition:

Per serving (based on 6): 332 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 5 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 71 milligrams cholesterol, 234 milligrams sodium."

Recipe: Chocolate Soup

From Denny: Now this is definitely something I'd like to try - a soup made from chocolate, wow! Beware of the calorie count though; it's a real whopper! Be generous; share this dessert with friends and family! :)

Zuppa di Cioccolato (Chocolate Soup) - from Sotto Sotto restaurant

From: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Sotto Sotto restaurant

"From the menu of . . . Sotto Sotto
313 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta
404-523-6678

Q: Please see if you can coax the chocolate soup dessert recipe out of the chef at Sotto Sotto. It's really great, with little bits of crunchy things in it.
-- Lea Nixon, Atlanta

A: If all you think of is minestrone when you think of Italian soup . . . think again. Zuppa di Cioccolato is a rich chocolate soup served as a dessert. Sotto Sotto chef Christian Watson says this heavenly confection is a combination of fine semi-sweet chocolate (the brand he uses is Callebaut, which can be difficult to find locally), hazelnut whipped cream topping, dry roasted hazelnuts and sugared croutons."

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 10

Ingredients:

For the chocolate base: 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) heavy cream (36 to 40 percent milkfat)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons rum (Virgin Island Rum, a sweet rum, is suggested)

For the baguettes:

10 slices French baguette

Granulated sugar for sprinkling

For the hazelnut cream:

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon hazelnut praline paste (see note)

For the garnishes:

1 cup whole roasted hazelnuts

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions:

In a medium, heavy Dutch oven, combine the cream and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low and gradually add the chocolate chips, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in the rum, and whisk again. (The soup base may be adjusted to your desired consistency with additional cream or chocolate.)
Sprinkle the baguette slices with granulated sugar and place in the oven to toast until just caramelized.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the 3/4 cup cream to soft peaks with the hazelnut paste.

To serve: Place a crouton in the bottom of a shallow soup bowl; pour about 3/4 cup of the soup base over it, sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts, and top with a dollop of the whipped cream. Dust with cocoa powder, and serve at once.

NOTE: Hazelnut paste is difficult to find. Watson suggests substituting Nutella, for a slightly different flavor. Our tester reports it is fine to omit the paste.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 939 calories, 10 grams protein, 86 grams fat (percent calories from fat, 82), 49 grams carbohydrates, 208 milligrams cholesterol, 135 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.

Recipe: Chocolate-Tipped Butter Cookies

From Denny: Found this easy and kid-friendly recipe from the food archives of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It does contain hydrogenated vegetable shortening which tells me it's an old recipe. Though I haven't tested this recipe yet I'd prefer to use clarified butter which gives it loads of flavor and kills the cholesterol problem. As far as sweets go this recipe is also listed as low calorie at 107 calories per cookie! The sodium level is respectably low too.

Chocolate-Tipped Butter Cookies

Hands on time: 25 minutes
Total time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Serves: Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1 tablespoon hydrogenated vegetable shortening


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With electric mixer, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla. Gradually add flour, mixing well with a wooden spoon or the hands. Dough will be dry. Shape dough into sticks about 2 1/2 inches long, 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep (thick). Place on ungreased cookie sheets about an inch apart. Flatten 3/4 of each cookie lengthwise with fork to 1/4 inch thickness, leaving the patterns of the fork tines in the dough.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until set but not brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Combine chocolate morsels and shortening in microwaveable dish; microwave on high (100 percent power) 45 to 60 seconds, or until melted. Or melt in top of double boiler or in a heavy-bottom pan.

Put melted chocolate in a small, deep glass. Dip the thick, plain end of each cooled cookie in chocolate mixture and let excess drip back into the glass. Place cookies on wax paper until chocolate is firm. Store in airtight containers between layers of wax paper for 3 days or freeze.

Notes: Total time includes cooling and firming time.

Nutrition:

Per cookie: 107 calories (percent of calories from fat, 59), 1 gram protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 7 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 14 milligrams cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.

Smoothie Recipe: Chocolate Cherry

Berry Soy Smoothie Image by taupetortoise via Flickr

From Denny: It's the weekend and time to relax, take a moment to pause, make life easy, and drink a smoothie to help the process!

The food staff over at Atlanta Journal-Constitution adapted this recipe from Cook's Country Magazine, part of the Cook's Illustrated magazine group. This is a healthy yet chocolate recipe! Does life get any better? :)

Notes from the food staff: "This was tested with Stonyfield Farm brand nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt. They make two snack-size servings or 1 meal replacement size drink. If you like your smoothies sweeter, use vanilla yogurt, or add a tablespoon or two of honey to plain yogurt. If you like them more tart, substitute plain yogurt for vanilla.

For creamier texture, upgrade to low-fat yogurt, knowing you'll add calories. Use only 100 percent juice; don't use any with added sweeteners. You can substitute fresh fruit for frozen, but make sure it's cold. If possible, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes before using."

Hands on time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen cherries

1 ripe banana, cut in thirds

3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 cup apple juice

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Instructions:

In a blender, combine cherries, banana, yogurt, apple juice and chocolate syrup, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 272 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), 7 grams protein, 64 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 78 milligrams sodium.

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Recipe: Chocolate-Black Raspberry Brownies

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: What a divine taste combination! The French make a wonderful liqueur called Chambord that is a natural in hot or cold coffee, now how about the same taste for brownies? Yum! Superb idea!

From: Home baker Diane H. Floyd, published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, no photo from the site

Hands on time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 55 minutes

Serves: 20


Ingredients:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

10 ounces black raspberry jam, preferably seedless (do not substitute red raspberry or blackberry), at room temperature

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch pan. In the microwave or a double boiler set over simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together and stir until the mixture is smooth.

By hand, stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour until well-combined. Spread in pan. Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until slightly firm when touched lightly. Do not overbake. Let cool at least 15 minutes.

Spread the jam evenly over the brownies. Melt the remaining 2/3 cup chocolate chips with the 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Stir until smooth. Pour melted chocolate over the jam. Using a knife, spread the melted chocolate over the jam in as even a layer as possible. Chill thoroughly and cut into small squares. Serve chilled.

Notes:

Total time for this recipe includes 1 hour of chilling time.

Diane Floyd says these rich brownies, which are topped with a layer of jam and a thin coating of chocolate, freeze extremely well and can be refrozen.

"You can make them in the mini foil baking cups, resulting in very pretty individual bonbons for parties, " she says. "Just use a scant tablespoon of brownie batter in each cup and sprinkle with a few chocolate chips. A finger is the ideal method of spreading both the jam and chocolate over the little cups of brownie. Just remember not to lick it until you are finished."

She recommends using the microwave when melting the chocolate.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 278 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 3 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 14 grams fat, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 85 milligrams sodium.

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Recipe: The Bonzo Cake (delicious calorie monster)

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

From Denny: Like a lot of Louisianians I lived in the Atlanta metro area for some time. Let me tell you: awesome restaurants in that city! Since we lived there some have closed and new ones invented in their place, probably by the same restaurant group famous in the area (Pano's and Paul's).

I still remember the awesome White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie from the former Buckhead Diner! Actress Elizabeth Taylor (now 75 years old) used to order up as many as ten of these pies whenever she was traveling through the area. Yes, they were that good. Also, have the recipe too that the local newspaper, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, printed up for everyone at the height of the restaurant's popularity.

This recipe from the same newspaper's food section sounds killer good! Enjoy! Also, they have a great food section so clicking on the title link will take you there to explore other delights.

Since one slice of this cake is literally over 1,000 calories you might want to get 100 friends to help you eat this delicious monster! :)

If you happen to be traveling to or through Atlanta and want to check out Murphy's, then read this review so you know what to expect in the way of food, atmosphere and price, go here.

***

From the Atlanta Journal-Consititution:

From the menu of Murphy's
997 Virginia Ave., Atlanta, Georgia
404-872-0904

Q: I had a wonderful first experience at Murphy's on Virginia Avenue recently. The lunch portions are great! But the dessert was even better. I had the Bonzo, which consisted of a layer of brownie, then a layer of cheesecake, then a layer of chocolate mousse, all topped off with a whipped-style cream. It was fantastic! - Jan Phillips, Atlanta"

A: This dessert was created several years ago when the folks at Murphy's, a Virginia-Highland mainstay, noted that three desserts on the menu -- the fudge brownie a la mode, the cheesecake and the chocolate mousse -- did very well. "Wouldn't it be great if we could roll them all into one, " somebody said. Somebody else agreed and the Bonzo was born.

***

Bonzo Cake

Hands on time: 45 minutes

Total time: 4 hours and 45 minutes

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

For the brownie:

Shortening for the pan

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1 1/3 cups cake flour

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cheesecake:

25 ounces (three 8-ounce packages plus 2 tablespoons) cream cheese

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate mousse:

14 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups (11 ounces) whipped cream

9 egg yolks (from pasteurized eggs (available at Harris Teeter), to avoid slight risk of salmonella)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions:

For the brownie: Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt margarine. Add chocolate morsels, stirring often.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well.

Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture. Scrape bowl to get chocolate off sides and bottom of bowl. Mix well.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

For the cheesecake: Bring cream cheese to room temperature. (When ready to add cheesecake layer to cooled brownie layer, preheat oven to 300 degrees.)

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Pour mixture over cooled brownie layer and bake, checking after 45 minutes. If it is still liquid, continue baking up to 15 minutes until set. Remove and set aside to cool.

For the chocolate mousse: Melt chocolate in a double boiler and keep warm.

Whip cream and set aside. Beat egg yolks until volume has doubled. Add sugar and hot melted chocolate at medium speed. Immediately fold in whipped cream.

Spread chocolate mousse over cooled cheesecake.

Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes: A chocoholic's dream, this rich, decadent dessert takes a bit of time but is certainly worth the effort. Our tester, Sara Levy, said you could substitute unsweetened chocolate in the mousse layer if you like a less sweet chocolate. In addition, she said, you could make the dessert through the cheesecake layer and freeze it. On the day of serving, let it thaw, add the mousse layer and then chill before serving.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 1038 calories, 14 grams protein, 68 grams fat (percent calories from fat, 59), 102 grams carbohydrates, 402 milligrams cholesterol, 441 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.