I have a huge collection of cookbooks, and I seem to always be adding to it. Some books are great for flipping through to get ideas; some I've bought just to try one particular recipe; some are the kind of books you curl up with in bed and read like novels. And some are books I really connect with and end up turning to over and over again. One such book is Baked Explorations, which my sister got me for Christmas two years ago.
The recipes in Baked Explorations come from the Brooklyn bakery Baked (which I plan to go to as soon as I have time to get to Brooklyn). I've made a bunch of recipes from this cookbook and from the first cookbook from the bakery too. I've found the recipes reliable, interesting, creative, and, above all, delicious. Some of my favorites have been the black and white cookies, the stump de Noël, the carrot scones, and now... this Mississippi mud pie.
This pie, also known as muddy Mississippi Cake (which I think suits it better), starts with an Oreo cookie crust.
A rich, flourless chocolate cake, flavored with espresso powder and brewed coffee, is baked inside the cookie crust.
The cake sinks as it cools...
...making room for the most luscious chocolate pudding I have ever made.
The three chocolate layers are then topped with lightly sweetened homemade whipped cream.
This combination makes for one of the most decadent pies (or cakes) I've ever had. The three chocolate layers provide three different textures: crunchy, soft and cakey, and silky. The whipped cream is just the thing to balance all of the chocolate.
This recipe alone makes Baked Explorations a worthwhile investment.
What rich desserts have you been enjoying?