Real Roman Chocolate Pizza from Pizza Rustica

Do you believe in geniuses? I started believing in them when I turned 15 years old and went to Italy to visit my family. I knew I would fall in love with the history, the food and the Italian boys, what I wasn't expecting was to be introduced to a true Italian masterpiece: Chocolate Pizza.

The number one and most important ingredient is Nutella, a hazelnut spread. If you are not familiar with Nutella, you are missing out on half the fun in life. In Italy it is eaten at any time of the day and spread in anything you can find in the pantry. From crackers to bread, from cookies to pizza. And that's how chocolate pizza was created! 

First, let me take you back to the 1940s when pastry maker Pietro Ferrero created Nutella. Due to World War II there was little supply of cocoa, making it difficult to have any chocolate at all, so Ferrero used hazelnuts instead, which are plentiful in the Northwest region of Italy. Creating then a true heroic spread that would travel the whole world and become a favorite in every country. 

Chocolate pizza was a concept later acquired in Italy. However,  the name of the one who created such a divine combination of two Italian masterpieces, is unknown. I must say, in the name of all of dessert lovers, thank you.

Your mouth is probably watery by now, your eyes must be popping out at the pictures and I'm sure you have a pretty good idea of how it would smell, delicious that is. But it doesn't have to be a "told" experience because Pizza Rustica in Delray Beach brings you the opportunity to try chocolate pizza without having to travel to Italy.

It is a true Roman style pizzeria in all the senses. From the moment you park the car, the smell of freshly baked pizza brings you in, and once you are inside you have no escape. You get submerged  in a true visual encounter with more than 20 different kinds of pizza in front of you. Cut in square slices rather than triangular and with a variety of toppings to make this pizza the best you've ever had. 

If you are not sure about this mix between pizza and chocolate, I suggest you try it yourself. After all, Pizza Rustica makes the experience and enjoyable one. They deliver, offer catering services and gift certificates and they are open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. 

It's also located at a very convenient spot: Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach is a favorite for all tourists and native citizens. It is full with night life and it's fun for all ages. So be sure to stop by and try the famous chocolate pizza and make sure to share with me your experience.

The Perfect Breakfast Cake

What is a good breakfast without a good piece of cake?

My mom always told me that sweets are supposed to be eaten in the morning, that way you have all day to burn the calories! So I took it seriously, and every morning I eat a slice of cake, preferably lemon pound cake with coffee.

We all know and love Starbucks, but $1.95 per slice? That's a bit too much, I think! So I will teach you how to make your own lemon pound cake -- that way you can save big bucks every month.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 of teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar, plus 1/3 cup
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice, plus 1/3 cup

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan and line it with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter. Add 1 cup of the sugar and mix. With the mixer running at low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.

Working in alternating batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice to the butter mixture. Mix until just smooth.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until raised in the center and a tester inserted into the center comes out dry and almost clean (a few crumbs are OK), 65 to 75 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice until the sugar is dissolved.

When the cake is done, let cool in the pan 15 minutes (it will be warm). Run a knife around the sides of the pan. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan with sides (to catch the glaze) and turn the cake out onto the rack. Peel off the waxed paper.

Using a turkey baster or pastry brush, spread glaze all over the top and sides of the cake and let soak in. Repeat until the entire glaze is used up, including any glaze that has dripped through onto the sheet pan. Let cool at room temperature or, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator (Well wrapped, the cake will last up to a week). Serve at room temperature, in thin slices.

Recipe by the Food Network Website.

Chocolate Molten Cake at Chili's

As a chocolate addict, because let's face it that's what I am, I always order whatever chocolate dessert there is on the menu of any restaurant I go to. 

Sometimes, the best restaurants don't have the best desserts, sometimes it's the every day type restaurants that have delicious chocolate goodies.

Let's take for example, the Chocolate Molten Cake at Chili's. It is heaven of earth! 

Be prepared to experience a sensation that can captivate your five senses. You smell the warm chocolate, you can touch it and feel the moist cake, you can taste the melted goodness, you can see the chocolate lava flowing and you can hear everybody in the table say: "Can I have some?"

So tell everyone in advance to order one for themselves. if you are like me, you don't share desserts -- there is enough in the kitchen for everybody! However, if you do like to share, this dessert is perfect for two.

The plate seems overwhelming, and for people with ADD, a little messy, but if you close your eyes and indulge in this true chocolate experience, it is so worth it.

The dessert consists of a chocolate cake served warm with chocolate fudge filling and topped with vanilla ice cream under a crunchy chocolate shell and it is only $5.99.

Researching about this cake, I found  out that apparently there is a White Chocolate Molten Cake, but I've never seen it at my Chili's. If you know that yours has it, let me know I am dying to try it!

Baby Éclairs

If you are a true dessert lover, at some point of your life you have tried an éclair. I don't expect you to have traveled to France to eat a fresh one, but if you are in the South Florida area, I encourage you to try the best éclairs in town, Côté France in Boca Raton.

The éclair is the French equivalent of doughnuts although they differ in many ways. The éclairs are a long and 

thin pastry made with choux pastry dough filled with a cream and topped with icing. The flavor of the cream can be coffee, chocolate, pastry cream, custard or whipped cream and the fondant icing is usually the same flavor as the filling.

Although the actual place of origin is uncertain, the éclair probably originated in France during the 19th century by Antonin Carême, known as "The King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings."  

Tuesday morning I went for a little brunch with my aunt and we decided to go to Côté France where I was able to quickly order something to eat, but had trouble deciding on dessert. I take my blogging job seriously, so I tried the miniature versions of most of the desserts available... for the sake of my blog of course. 

Let me tell you something, not only are they approximately under 100 calories, but they are so rich in flavor, texture and color that just by looking at them you want to eat them all. And you can... most of them are $1.50! 

So, if you are wondering where can you get some real French pastries, more exactly éclairs, now you know where thanks to my sweet tooth.  

Fun Fact! "Éclair" is French for "lightning." Nobody has been able to figure out why is it called that way. If you have an idea, please share with me and other dessert lovers! 

Good Cake = Good Deed with Cheesecake Factory's red velvet treat

Who would have thought that eating a slice of cake could help the world in the fight against hunger? The Cheesecake Factory did!

Last Thursday my fabulous journalism friends and I went to the Cheesecake Factory during our break to enjoy some nice food and delicious cheesecakes. I had already heard of the new red velvet cheesecake, and as a fan of red velvet cake, you know I had to try it.

What I did not know was that these cakes were somewhat different, as of September 1, the Cheesecake Factory started the "Drive Out the Hunger Tour," meaning that for every slice sold over the first 12 months, the restaurant was going to donate 25 cents to the nation's largest hunger-relief charity, Feeding America.

Not only was I finding pleasure in eating this slice of heaven, but I was actually doing a good deed. I felt really happy, and so did my friends, who at first didn't want to try it but after stealing my fork and cake, said: "This is the most amazing cheesecake ever!"

It is a cheesecake rich in flavor with moist layers of red velvet cake and the original cheesecake and cream cheese frosting and it is finished with white chocolate at the thick end of the slice.

Actually it's called Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake after the contestant who won the "What's Your Flavor" contest by the Cheesecake Factory.

After finding out the partnership between The Cheesecake Factory and Feeding America, I made out my mission to spread out the word about this sweet cause and bought myself a whole cake!

Midnight Lovers

Don't we all feel guilty at times? Don't we all do something we might regret later on? Well at least I know I do!

I have a boyfriend of almost two years now, and although I love him, I have a big heart that needs to be filled with love at all times.

So, I have a confession to make... I've cheated on my boyfriend with Doughnuts!

I know it's wrong but I can't help it! They call my name, I dream about them, they are so sweet and so round it makes me want to eat them, so I do.

All this week I've been having doughnuts at around midnight and maybe it was my fault for buying them at the supermarket or it was my sister-in-law's fault for giving me six free doughnuts she had left over from today, but I just can't seem to stop.

So I went online to research more about these delicious treats only to discover a fun little fact about the origins of doughnuts.

The history has been disputed many times; one theory suggests that Dutch settlers who were also known for popularizing other great American desserts such as cookies, apple pie and cobbler introduced them in the United States. Who would have ever known that the Dutch introduced these desserts that seem so American?

However, at the same time there is archaeological evidence that shows that doughnuts existed and were prepared by prehistoric Native Americans in the South West.

With all this recently added knowledge in my brain, I went out and asked the people who were in the line of Dunkin' Donuts who they thought invented such a sweet creation, and my favorite quote was: "Definitely someone who had in mind the rest of us."

So honey, if you are reading this, please understand that I didn't mean to cheat on you but I have a midnight lover I can't resist.

Do you have a midnight lover? If so I want to know what it is! Leave a comment underneath and we can all share with one another what we eat!

Have sweet dreams!

Cookie Monster

It's Saturday night and I'm 21. Although I should be at a bar right now, I got bills to pay so I've been working all day. Since I can't stand routine but need to make money somehow, I work with a wedding planner.

Not one event resembles another, they are all different, and the brides...well I can honestly say they are all unique. But I'm not here to talk about "bridezillas," I am here to blog about the sweet side of weddings and my unstoppable search for the Hotel with the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie.

It's been five years since I've worked for wedding and event planner Cheryl Clisby and an infinite list of vendors and caterers from all over the United States, but to me they are all the same unless they have a really good chocolate chip cookie.

A perfect chocolate chip cookie, in my opinion, needs to be room temperature so that the chocolate chips aren't completely melted but aren't stiff either, the dough has to be a little chewy but not too much and the size, it doesn't really matter, as long as they are good.

Every time we have a wedding at a Hotel, Cheryl Clisby's team gets together for a introductory meeting of the event in which the Hotel's caterer will offer us anything we want or need. In my case, I want and need some cookies pronto!

So after having the whole staff ask for some food and drinks, I concentrate on getting my plate of chocolate chip cookies in advance so I can work more efficiently.

Even my boss, Cheryl, tells the Hotel staff: "She lives for those cookies."

After careful consideration and tastings from West Palm Beach to Miami, the title of "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie" goes to the Ritz Carlton Hotels. So next time you stay in one of them, try those cookies and let me know what you think!

WELCOME

Welcome all dessert lovers!

In the next couple of days "A Search for the Best Desserts" will start making every body's day a little sweeter with the first reviews of some of South Florida's best desserts and posting easy-to-make recipes!

Please feel free to leave your comments and ideas at any time!

So tell all your friends and family to get together and make some delightful treats.