When I was very young, a movie was made of the Maeterlinck play, The Blue Bird. It starred Shirley Temple and it was her first box office flop. The ending was predictable, but what I remember most about the movie is that it was set in a world where all the foods were sweets.

Images from the movie came to me last week as I was putting together this week’s batch of chocolate recipes. I have many, many chocolate desserts for the anthology, so more will appear over time. For now, here are several of my favorites.

Uncle Abe’s Chocolate Cake was first written up for Oprah magazine. The cake was devised by the brilliant cook who worked for us, Rachel Wellman. (My equally brilliant mother could not and would not cook—women’s work was anathema.) The cake is beautiful and gorgeous to eat.

Traditional Chocolate Mousse and a similar Chocolate Near Mousse are both soothing and rich make-ahead staples for dinner parties.

This Chocolate Chiffon Cake is one of my very own triumphs. Use the layers on their own or in combination with almost any filling or icing.

It is always worthwhile buying very good chocolate with a high cocoa butter quotient. If you don’t feel like cooking, melt some to go over ice cream or simply put out squares with fruit.

Who knows what I will focus on next week. If you have special desires, chocolate or other, let me know. I’m sure I have something for you.

(This is the second installment of Barbara Kafka’s Dessert Anthology.)

Posted by barbara in cookthinktank, dessert, baking | | Subscribe to this feed