Happy Birthday, dear husband!

Today is dh’s birthday … and the poor guy was stuck on I-95 for an interminable amount of time. I knew they were in trouble when an hour after they left, he called to say they were at a standstill … about 20 miles from the house. A trip that usually takes 45-60 minutes, took 180 minutes today.

But all is well and they got back home this afternoon in record time.

We had a wonderfully decorated house ready for him — balloons on the front porch, balloons and streamers all over the dining room, a luscious dinner and gifts for the sweetest man I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing.

HotRod helping Dad open the cards

An LSU jacket from the boys

A photo album from Kit

Silly string and trick candles make cutting the cake a little longer event than usual

oh, and the cake — Triple Chocolate Torte! Wow … not too sweet but you do have to eat small pieces!

Triple Chocolate Torte

Here’s the recipe (the way we made it …. and it is good)
Ingredients:
for the crust:

• 1 cup honey-graham crackers, finely ground (9 rectangles)
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 tbls butter, melted

for filling:

• 1-1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1-1/4 cup Special Dark chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

for glaze:

• 2 tbls half-and-half
• 3/4 cup Special Dark chocolate chips
• 1 tbls strong black coffee

Directions:
Make Crust: Preheat oven to 350 with rack in middle.
Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of 8-1/2 inch springform pan. Bake until crust is firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes.

Make Filling: Bring half-and-half to boil, then pour over chips in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate. Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly — about 20-25 minutes. Center will continue to set as tart cools. Cool completely in pan on rack, at least an hour.

Make Glaze: Bring half-and-half to boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Stir in strong coffee. Pour glaze on tart then tile and rotate to ensure glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about an hour (may need to put in fridge if house is too warm).

Amazing!

Happy birthday to my dear, sweet, annoying, loving, caring, obsessive, adorable husband! May God bless you as much as He has blessed me by bringing you into my life!