Chocolate Mice
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- Two 9-inch round baked chocolate cake layers, warmed
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 7 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- About 1 dozen black licorice whips, cut into 3-inch lengths
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter, 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar and the melted chocolate.
- Crumble 1 1/2 of the warm cake layers into the bowl and beat at low speed until incorporated.
- Roll level tablespoons of the mixture into 3 dozen ovals, tapering one end to shape the nose.
- Arrange the mice on a wax paperlined baking sheet; press a toothpick into the tail end of each.
- Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 275.
- Crumble the remaining 1/2 cake layer and spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until almost dry.
- Very finely crush the crumbs.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white and extra-bittersweet chocolate together on high power until three-quarters melted.
- Stir the chocolates until completely melted and cooled to 90 on an instant-read thermometer.
- Working quickly, and using the toothpick as a handle, dip the mice into the chocolate to coat; let any excess drip back into the bowl.
- Roll the mice in the cake crumbs and press 2 pumpkin seeds into the heads of each mouse to make ears.
- Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with water to make a stiff glaze.
- Transfer to a small plastic bag and snip off a tiny corner from one end.
- Pipe eyes on the mouse.
- Remove the toothpicks and insert a licorice whip into each indentation for the tails.
cream cheese, unsalted butter, sugar, chocolate, chocolate cake layers, white chocolate, extrabittersweet chocolate, pumpkin seeds, black licorice
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-mice (may not work)