We haven’t been enjoying sweet treats nearly enough around here, but I did manage to catch up on two of the selections from Baking Chez Moi over the past few months.
Hot Chocolate Panna Cotta
I drink a cup of hot chocolate or two each winter, especially when it’s time for Vancouver’s Hot Chocolate Festival, but I think I like this method of enjoying it even better than the traditional one. All the flavour of hot chocolate in a creamy dessert and none of the dilemma involved in choosing between it and a cup of tea.
I used an extra-dark chocolate that I like, Denman Island Chocolate‘s Cocoa Loco, and infused the cream with Lady Grey tea. The tea’s clear citrus notes played well against the flavour of the chocolate. The chocolate’s flavour is bolstered by cocoa powder in this panna cotta and I think it’s this addition that makes the flavour so reminiscent of hot chocolate.
This is one I’ll be having again, especially now that I’ve found a nearby source for granulated gelatin and can avoid the awkward conversions involved in using leaf gelatin.
Fluted Carrot-Tangerine Cake
My fluted quiche pan was otherwise occupied, so this cake had to be content with a plain edge. I still think it’s very pretty.
I love my mother’s version of carrot cake, a classic rich rectangle liberally slathered in cream cheese icing, but this cake is one that I can see myself making more often. It’s a much lighter cake, full of ginger and tangerine with an undertone of carrot’s sweetness. I added a tangerine glaze, which made it look festive and boosted the citrus flavour even more. This cake will get you through the worst part of winter, whether you glaze it or not.
I’ll be joining in with the rest of Tuesdays with Dorie’s bloggers at least once in April, so dessert is on the horizon. That’s always a cheering prospect.
Find out what the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie crew caught up on here: Rewind.
One Wet Foot 
I loved both of these recipes as well. The hot chocolate panna cotta was a revelation and that cake? I could eat it every day!
Absolutely!
Your panna cotta looks and sounds so yummy with the addition of tea in it. What a good idea! And now that you mention it it must be the coca powder in the recipe that made the panna cotta reminiscent of hot chocolate. Hmm…
Your carrot tangerine cake looks absolutely delectable too. It is one of my favorites also. I like homey recipes like that.iyours is so pretty even without the fluted edge.
Thanks, Summer! It’s a very pretty cake no matter what sort of pan its baked in, isn’t it?
I’m jealous, you have a festival for hot chocolate. We enjoyed that panna cotta too. Look forward to seeing you in April.
It’s a great festival! Sorry…
I’m looking forward to April’s selections – they’re going to be fun to make (and delicious to eat).
I would make it extra dark chocolate as well, Teresa 🙂 Looks delicious!
Your hot chocolate panna cotta looks so much lusher than mine did. I just didn’t dig the graininess of it when I made it. The orange cake on the other hand – mwuh, lovely. Yours looks fabulous, plain edge or no.
I haven’t made many recipes from BCM (not sure why) but these both look great! Interesting that you usually find leaf gelatin when I can only ever find granulated. Must be different “norms” in Canada and the US.
These were great! I think the leaf gelatin is a quirk of my neighbourhood – there is a mix of natural food, world food, and traditional Italian roots, with a bit of Whole Foods lite thrown in. I did manage to find granulated gelatin finally at a major chain grocery, so I think it’s more common outside of this area. Wow, that was long-winded – sorry!
Both desserts look fabulous Teresa! I’ve made the cake again since my initial post (with extra ginger) – it’s a new favourite.