Epcot's Chocolate Crepes

Epcot Crepe with Mia style sauce

Welcome back to our 365 Disney Dining Challenge! As you can all probably tell, by now, I am in love with most anything French, and am always looking for extra excuses to cook the cuisine (or speak the language). So, I decided the perfect way to end this challenge week was by making chocolate crepes, like the ones at the kiosk in Epcot's France. Since crepes on their own are not as yummy as those with a filling, I decided to create my own (if you are just wanting the Disney recipe, stick with the top list of ingredients).


Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauce (my own recipe, not found at Disney):
8 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup of brown sugar (can  use 1/8 to make less sweet)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon of butter
Bananas

Begin by putting all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, and then mix until well blended.The batter will slightly resemble pancake mix, only more on the runny side - for best results, let this mixture rest for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator prior to baking. Then, pour some into a pan and cook on low heat. Watch the crepe, and when you can see the edges starting to turn darker and pull up from the pan, gently flip over and cook for another minute on the other side. Repeat until all crepes are complete.

Combine all ingredients

Should look like pancake mix, but thinner

For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and stir over low heat until melted.Remove from heat, and let thicken slightly (I usually prepare my sauce at the same time the crepes are cooking - everything is usually completed at the same time).

Combine all ingredients for sauce

Completely melted down

Once the crepes are finished, slice some bananas and places those slices over the crepes, then ladle on some chocolate sauce and you now have a wonderfully filling desert!

Finit!

Thank you for staying with us on our Dining Challenge journey! Krystal is up next at www.partnersbehindthemouse.com

Blue Bayou's Chocolate Mousse

I decided to close this week's challenge out with something sweet and decadent. After finding this Blue Bayou recipe I knew I had to give it a try! It's so delicious, easy to make, and versatile!

Ingredients:

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate

4 oz. unsalted butter (full stick)

5 oz. egg whites (slightly over 1/2 cup)

2 oz. sugar (1/4 cup)

3 1/2 cups of heavy cream

Start by using either a saucepan or a double boiler to melt down the chocolate and butter. Make sure to constantly stir so that the chocolate does not have a chance to stick to the bottom and melt.

Starter ingredients

Combine chips and butter

Mix Well

Finally melted

Now, whip the cream and sugar on high for a few minutes until it is light and fluffy. Once that is done, transfer to a different bowl and set aside.

Whip on high

Light and fluffy

Once the whip cream is done, start on the egg whites - beat them on high until soft peaks form.

Egg whites

Whites with a peak

Now, use a wire whisk to gently fold in melted chocolate, and then whipped cream. Then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Fold chocolate and egg whites together.

And then fold in whipped cream

Mix well

After the mousse has chilled long enough, serve and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Make sure to continue following our challenge with Krystal at www.partnersbehindthemouse.com

Black Bottom Cups

This is a recipe that has followed me since high school. It is very easy to make, delicious, and is on the healthier side as it has no frosting. It is a regular favorite in this household, and I hope you will give it a try!

Add some Mickey with chocolate chips

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Then, line muffin tins with cupcake liners (or grease each part of the tin).

In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup of sugar, and salt together until fluffy (like a light frosting). Then, mix in chocolate chips and set aside.

It is now time to stir all of the dry ingredients for the cupcakes together! Choose a large bowl, and mix the flour, 1 cup of sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. After everything has been thoroughly mixed, make a dip in the center and pour in the wet ingredients (1 cup of water, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, cider vinegar, and vanilla). Mix everything together until all is well blended.

With everything completed, now take the cupcake mixture and fill each of the lined tins at least 1/3 of the way full, and then place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture on top. Place in the oven, and bake for approximately 20 minutes (you will know they are done if, after a toothpick is inserted and removed, there are no crumbs on the toothpick. If there are, continue baking for a few more minutes.).

Character Shaped Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies

Looking for something fun and tasty to bake with the kids? Hopefully here is your answer with some fun - and yummy - sugar cookies that have been dipped in chocolate, and shaped to look like popular Disney characters. All you will need to start is:


Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 tsp. Baking Powder
3 cup All-Purpose Flour
Cookie cutters of choice


Chocolate Dip Ingredients:
1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp milk


Begin by making the chocolate dipping sauce. Combine all ingredients into a small sauce pan, and slowly melt and stir ingredients together. Then, set aside and begin making cookies.

Ingredients before melting

After melting

Now, start on the cookies by creaming the butter and sugar together. Then, add in the egg and vanilla.

Creamed butter and sugar

Sift the flour and baking powder together, and then add to the creamed mixture. It is recommended to mix everything together by hand; however, I used my  mixer and it turned out just fine. Also, this is one of the few sugar cookie dough's that do not need to be chilled prior to rolling out.

Dough consistency

It is now time to turn the kids loose on the dough! Roll it out on a floured surface (my dough was about 1/8 inch thick) and cut in the desired shapes. I chose to do Mickey, Chuggington, and Lightning McQueen!

Cookie Cutters

Little dough for the kids

Chuggington!

Once all of the dough has been cut, I like to put mine on a pan lined with parchment paper instead of grease (just makes dessert a little bit healthier). Bake your cookies for 6-8 minutes at 400 degrees.

Mickey and Chuggington

Mickey and Lightning McQueen

After the cookies have been baked and cooled, dip each one (or if you're worried about the kids making a mess, use a spoon) in chocolate. Make sure to place each cookie that has been dipped in chocolate onto parchment paper until the chocolate hardens (this usually takes approximately 10 minutes, but can go faster by putting the cookies in the freezer).

Yummy Mickey

McQueen and chocolate