Chocolate Chipped

Good Morning, Sunshine! White Chocolate Berry Muffins

Photo White Chocolate Berry Muffins by salihan

I would jump out of bed in the morning if I knew that these were waiting for me!

They look so moist, and I can see the berries and the white chocolate chips--oh so good!

Grab the recipe! White Chocolate Berry Muffins

Mini-Mousse: Nigella's White Chocolate Peppermint Shots

And when she says "white chocolate peppermint shots" she really means White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse in tiny glasses.

Sounds delish to me! These tiny mousses are adorable, and perfect for a party...

Dainty Deliciousness: White Chocolate Lime Cookies

White Chocolate Lime Cookies by Celine S.

Well, these are adorable, so sweet and innocent looking .

I LOVE that these cookies have the unusual white chocolate + lime combo--that flavor combo is perfection!

You don't see cookies like this that often. To me they're subtle, elegant, dainty, refreshing and sophisticated. I can just imagine giving these as a gift to someone special!

Grab the recipe! White Chocolate Lime Cookies

Shameless Flirt: White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake Originally uploaded by M.Sheldrake

I saw this photo and went into a trance....

I MUST taste this!

Doesn't it look amazing? Oy, so luscious and refreshing.

I LOVE white chocolate paired with summery raspberries.

Sometimes I say stuff like this about desserts I show you:

"Kids will love this" or "This would be great for a dinner party"

Well, with this one, I'm saying:

"Make this for yourself! I don't care if anyone else is around--just make it for your own enjoyment."

Grab the recipe! White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake 

Oh No, Here We Go Again...Chocolate Mousse Parfait

Chocolate Mousse Parfait originally uploaded by Fenchurch!

So, I'm sure that the restaurant where this dessert was served, which is the same exact restaurant that brought us the fantasy Chocolate Mousse Napolean dessert last week, is DETERMINED to coax us all into moving to Sonoma, California. 

I bet they thought they had a pretty subtle plan for dessert world domination by having a customer quietly put photos of their desserts onto Flickr, but I'm on to them!

If they keep this stuff up, we will all be brainwashed by their chocolate mousse desserts and we'll find ourselves unconsciously buying plane tickets to California, and then they'll have us all under their control!

Our only hope is to learn to make this at home.

It can't be that hard-- just look at it.

Breakin' it down for ya:

Layer 1: Raspberry coulis

Layer 2: I'm saying that that's crushed chocolate cookies (note the cookie used on top for garnish)

Layer 3: Chocolate Mousse

Layer 4: Fresh Blackberries

Layer 5: Whipped Cream

Layer 6: Raspberry coulis

Layer 7: White Chocolate Mousse

Whew--this restaurant soooooo needs to get franchised and spread throughout the world!

Performing Chocolate Brain Surgery: Chocolate Mousse Napoleon

Chocolate Mousse Napoleon, originally uploaded by Fenchurch!

Alright, people. We have our work cut out for us today.

This photo is actually of a dessert offered at a restaurant, and what do you know--there is not an official recipe available for this particular masterpiece of an ice cream / mousse / chocolate sauce tower.

But look at it--it seems pretty easy to break apart. This is how I see it:

Layer #1 (starting at plate level): Chocolate Sauce
Layer #2: Is that baked Phyllo Dough? (you know, the stuff they make Baklava with) Or maybe it's puff pastry.
Layer #3: Strawberry ice cream (2 scoops side by side)
Layer #4: Phyllo Dough (I'm calling it baked Phyllo Dough--what do you think it is?)
Layer #5: More chocolate sauce
Layer #6: One scoop of white chocolate mousse nestled next to one scoop of dark chocolate mousse
Layer #7: More Phyllo Dough
Layer #8: Chocolate Sauce
Layer #9: Fresh Raspberries

Whew! This is the sort of dessert you just stand back and gape at when it's delivered to someone's table, then you strategically plan to "leave room" for dessert (or perhaps skip the meal altogether and go right for the Napolean!)

Let's break it down--I'm sure we can make this at home:

Chocolate Sauce--David Lebovitz has a killer chocolate sauce recipe. (Or of course they sell that stuff ready made at the store--shhhh, I won't tell!)

If it is phyllo dough or puff pastry, you can buy that at the store too. There are instructions on the box for cooking the dough so it comes out flaky but here are some extra tips that may be helpful for the phyllo dough.

Strawberry ice cream--Don't try to be a hero. Just buy it at the store.

Chocolate mouse--this looks like a very tasty and easy chocolate mousse recipe.

White Chocolate Mousse-- Oh this  white chocolate mousse recipe looks yummy (and so simple)!

Whew! That was an intense dissection of this drool worthy dessert--will anyone attempt this baby?

And so the "What is a blondie debate?" continues: White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies

Making raspberry blondies, originally uploaded by _molly_.

First off, the idea of a white chocolate raspberry blondie is enough to make me weep tears of joy. Can you imagine it?

Just look at them!

But second of all, I am so confused about what a blondie is.  Molly, the baker photographer says that blondies are brownies made with white chocolate (rather than regular chocolate).

But remember this blondie? I thought that "Blondies have a vanilla (or sometimes butterscotch) dough base, sort of like the dough you'd find in a chocolate chip cookie."

Oh well, it may be a question for the ages. Does anyone know for sure?

I think the ultimate answer may require hours of "research" and taste testing various types of blondie-esque pastries.

Does anyone want that job? I DO!!!!! :-)

Oh, and the recipe? It's in the photo! If that's too tiny to see, look here.

Subtle Meets Sassy: Lemon-Lattice White Chocolate Cake

Lemon-Lattice White Chocolate Cake, originally uploaded by Sesser.

So it’s more of lemon and chocolate, and while yesterday’s dark chocolate and lemon tart was kind of avant-garde, this white chocolate + lemon cake is actually a classic combo.

Grab the recipe: Lemon-Lattice White Chocolate Cake