Watch out World - Merch Alert!

With these brand new Black Butler items to buy, your collection will finally be complete! Well, maybe not - but definitely closer! And those plushies are way too cute to pass up!

Sebastian’s Very Own Cookbook - Foret Noire

When it comes to the most delectable thing ever, can there ever be a better combination than Sebastian and chocolate? *drool* Well, we can make this happen! In the episode “Deathly Butler” of Season 2, Sebastian is having an epic culinary battle with Claude by making the lovely Ciel a delicious Foret Noire with Butter Cream Frosting. Yes, it sounds delicious. But are you up to the challenge of making a Proper Butler’s recipe? Let’s just see!

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake

•      1/3 cup best-quality bitter-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces

·         2/5 cup semi-salted butter

·         1/3 cup dark brown sugar

·         1 tbsp golden syrup

·         ¾ cup self-raising flour

·         1/10 cup cocoa

·         2 large eggs, beaten

·         2/3 cup milk

·         3 cups good-quality bottled or tinned pitted cherries in syrup

·         2 tbsp kirsch

·         1 2/3 cup double cream

For the Frosting

·         6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

·         2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

·         ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

·         Pinch of salt

·         2 tbsp milk or heavy cream 

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF. Butter a 20cm x 5cm loose-bottomed cake tin and fit a circle of greaseproof paper into the base. Put the chocolate, plus the butter, sugar and syrup into a heavy-bottomed pan over a low heat and stir until everything is melted and amalgamated. Allow the mixture to cool until it is tepid but still molten.

Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl of an electric mixer or use an electric hand-whisk. Add the chocolate mixture using a spatula and start to beat slowly together. Combine the eggs and milk and slowly pour this in. Whisk together gently, increasing the speed until the mixture is light and thick yet fluffy.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, smooth the surface and bake in a pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes until firm and springy. A skewer inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes before turning out on a wire rack.

Drain the cherries in a sieve suspended over a bowl. Tip them into another bowl and measure off 200ml of the cherry syrup. Add to this the two tablespoons of kirsch. With a serrated knife, slice the cake horizontally into three discs. Place each disc on an individual plate and spoon the cherry syrup and kirsch mixture evenly over the three and leave to soak in.

Whip the double cream until thick. Spread one of the discs with half of it, cover with half of the cherries, pressing them in lightly, cover with the second disc and repeat the process. Finally, put on the third disc and gently, with the palms of both hands, press all together.

(For the frosting) In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer beat the softened butter at medium speed until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat the mixture at low speed just until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add the milk or heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and top as desired.

Good luck and send us your success stories! :D

BLACK BUTLER MERCH ALERT - GRELL IN KAWAII PLUSHIE FORM

Here’s your Friday fangasm, courtesy of Great Eastern, who is manufacturing these huggable Grells that you can take home. They’re on their way to retail, so you should see them popping up soon!

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It is about time all of our FUNimation Black Butler 2 fans had more Grell in their lives. Why not start with this new plush that is now in stock! We’re pretty sure Sebastian won’t be too happy once Grell gets word of this. Then again, when is he ever?

So what does Black Butler and Hetalia have in common?

Well, lots of things really.

1. Voice actor J. Michael Tatum! We know and love him as our delightfully debonair and hellish butler Sebastian, as well as the the magical je ne sais quois that brings France to life in Hetalia.
2. Also Voice Actress Brina Palencia, who portrays Black Butler’s young master Ciel, as well as Hetalia’s adorably cute Chibitalia.
3. Many wonderful fans like you.
4. And it now has an official tumblr page too!

Yep, you read that right! We wanted to make sure you knew that there’s now also an official Hetalia tumblr too! So be sure to follow it at: hetaliaofficial.tumblr.com to stay up on all the latest with Hetalia over there.

Black Butler Merch Alert - Skins!

Is your phone looking a little drab? Does your laptop need some pizazz? Fear not, we’ve got you covered! Skinit has officially licensed skins for many of your electronic devices. You can now show your love of Sebastian, Ciel, Grell and more wherever you go! Head on over to Skinit today to see all the options!

Let the Butlers get under your skin! We won’t blame you if you start wasting even more time on your computer or phone.

P.S. There’s also Skins from Hetalia, Fairy Tail, Fullmetal Alchemist and Dragon Ball Z.

We teased you yesterday about some news… well here it is:

BLACK BUTLER HAS COME TO GAIA ONLINE!

Gaia Online is currently running a special promotion for Black Butler. Joining is free and it only takes a minute. Customize an avatar to interact with millions of other members who share your interests. You can also decorate a virtual home, play games like zOMG! with your friends, join forums, create a cute aquarium and much more!

Let’s face it Sebastian even as an avatar, makes one hell of a butler.

Sebastian’s Very Own Cookbook - Donburi Bowl

We are going back in time with our next recipe from Sebastian’s Very Own Cookbook! From the Season 1 episode “His Butler, Able”, Baldroy is desperately trying to impress Sebastian by creating something delicious. He does, however, manage to produce a well-made Donburi Bowl, which is devoured by a Mr. Damian of the Funtom Company. Let’s see how delicious it was!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked short-medium grain rice or 2-3 cups hot cooked rice
• ½ lb beef round (sliced very thin)
• ¼-½ lb snap peas (or green beans) in bite sized pieces
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1tbsp light soy sauce
• ¾ cup dashi
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1tbsp sugar
• 2-3 green onions (or scallions) sliced thin

DIRECTIONS

Cook rice if uncooked according to your favorite method. Mix soy sauces, dashi and sugar in small pot, bring to a simmer. Add beef and pea pods (or other green vegetable) to simmering liquid. Simmer 5 minutes or until beef is cooked through. Add green onion to beef mixture and simmer 1-2 minutes. Add beaten egg in slow stream to simmering mixture, scattering it all over the surface of the pot.

Looks easy, doesn‘t it? Well, try making it and send us your success stories! 

Visually we thought a few of you Black Butler fans might enjoy one of the freshest new anime out of Japan, Karneval. FUNimation Entertainment will premiere it on http://funimation.com on Monday, April 8th and it will be streaming Mondays at 1:35pm ET/ 12:35pm CT.

Want to be kept up-to-date on all the latest simulcast news? Follow the FUNimation Tumblr, or you can sign up for text alerts by texting the word ‘simulcast’ to number 99000.  Please be aware that standard messaging rates and fees may apply.

Sebastian’s Very Own Cookbook - Roasted Pidgeon

Welcome to the next installment of Sebastian’s Very Own Cookbook! Sebastian introduces our next dish on the very same plate as the more recent Lobster Soufflé – by the way, was it as delectable as it looks? Teehee. Continuing on with this oh-so very lovely cookbook, let us now prepare our favorite butler’s Roasted Pigeon!

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup dried figs, stems removed and diced
• 3 cups fruity red wine
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 2 cups dark chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 squabs (aka pigeon)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 475ºF.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the figs, wine and thyme, and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Cook at a brisk simmer until wine has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon and the figs are tender, about 25 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook again until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat, add the butter and stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is thickened. Adjust the seasoning, to taste and set aside, covered, to keep warm. Do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate.

Cut the backbone out of the squab and gently flatten with the palm of your hand. Lightly season the squab on both sides with salt and ground black pepper.

Heat the remaining oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squab, skin-side down, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and place in the oven. Roast until the birds are cooked through and tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, and set aside to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Drain the remaining fat from the skillet and add the sauce to the skillet to rewarm, scraping to dislodge any browned particles clinging to the bottom of the pan.

Serve the squab with the sauce ladled over all.

Let us know how this turned out and get some bragging rights!