Hot Chocolate Orange

Preparation time :	5 minutes
Cooking time :	10 minutes, plus infusing
Total time :	15 minutes, plus infusing

Serves: 8

Ingredients

3 x 568ml whole milk
8 strips of orange zest, pared using a potato peeler
300g Green & Black’s Organic 70% Dark Chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 tbsp light brown muscavado sugar

Method

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan with the strips of orange zest, and bring slowly to a simmer. Remove from the heat and infuse for 10 minutes, until the milk is flavoured by the orange zest.
2. Return the milk to the heat and add the chocolate and sugar. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate has melted. Pour into mugs and serve with marshmallows toasted on the bonfire.

Death By Chocolate Cappuccino

Ingredients

• Large coffee mug
• 1oz Vanilla Syrup
• 2-2oz Shots of espresso or 4oz of strong coffee
• 4oz-6oz of Chocolate Milk (Milk may vary depending on size of coffee mug)
• Chocolate Redi Whip
• Sprinkles-any color
• Chocolate pieces

Directions

First pour the vanilla syrup into a large coffee mug. Next add your fresh brewed coffee to the vanilla syrup and blend the two ingredients together. Then steam your chocolate milk to 160 degrees F. You can use a beverage or candy thermometer to test the temperature of the milk. Once milk has been steamed add it to you coffee. Finally, top your cappuccino with the whipped cream to your desired amount. Add sprinkles and chocolate for decoration.

Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean Ducks

Ingredients for the Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean Duck Candy (Makes approx. 20 ducks)

• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
• powdered unsweetened cocoa
• approx. 60 espresso beans (three per duck)

You'll need:

• rubber ice-cube trays in the shape of ducks (available at Target or at a party supply store)
• a double boiler, or two pots that will stack safely

Step-by-step, with pictures:

Melt the Chocolate:

In a double boiler, boil water in the bottom level of the double boiler pot. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add chocolate chips to the top level, then slowly stir in the cream. Stir until the mixture is smooth and thin. Lower the heat and stir occasionally until it is time to use the chocolate.

Prepare the Trays:

Lightly powder the rubber trays with unsweetened cocoa.

First Layer:

Fill each duck reservoir half-way with chocolate. Place 3 coffee beans in each reservoir.

Second Layer:

Add more melted chocolate to each reservoir, enough to fill each duck to the top. Lightly tap or jiggle the tray on the countertop. This will settle the chocolate and ensure that there are no air pockets in the candy. Then take a knife and scrape the excess chocolate from the tray. Glide the knife over each reservoir to create a smooth surface for the back of the candy.

Final Step:

Put the candy trays on a flat surface in the freezer for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the candy and gently remove the ducks from the tray. This is not as difficult as removing ice cubes since the duck trays are rubber and are very pliable. You'll notice that the powdered cocoa has given the candy a matte finish. Now place the ducks on a plate or put them in an Easter egg for final presentation.

Chewy and Rich Chocolate Cookies

I don't think anything beats a cookie that reminds me of my mom's fudge sauce. This cookie recipe, which I got off the back of a package of Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, just looked like it might be tasty, and I was very pleasantly surprised.



It's also really easy to make. I'd recommend doing it in a mixer if you have one, because the dough gets very stiff at the end, but it's nothing that a little muscle can't handle either.



If you are in need of a chocolate fix, these cookies are certainly for you!



Chocolate Cookies
Makes between 60-70 cookies

Ingredients
4 squares of Baker's unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour



Place chocolate and butter into a microwave safe dish. Microwave the chocolate and butter until melted. This will probably take approximately 2 minutes, but depending on the strength of your microwave, might be slightly more or less. It's important not to microwave the chocolate and butter too long; you risk the chance of burning the chocolate. If you are worried about the strength of your microwave, try microwaving just a minute, and then giving the chocolate and butter a stir. When it's almost melted, bring the cooking interval time down to 30 seconds.

Once the chocolate and butter are completely melted, stir until completely blended. Next, mix in the sugar. The mixture will look kind of grainy.

Stir in the eggs and vanilla. I like to lightly beat the eggs before mixing them in so that they blend in well and are not mostly yolk in one place, and white in another.

Finally, stir in the flour. Do this in three or four additions, so that the flour doesn't go everywhere. The dough will feel quite stiff.



If it's not firm and easy to roll, place the dough in the refrigerator for up to an hour.



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls, and, on to a greased cookie sheet, place approximately 2 inches apart.



Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies should be just set. This will ensure that they stay nice and chewy. Cool the cookies on the sheet for a minute, then remove to a cooling rack.



I ate a couple when they were still warm, and they were soft and chewy and delicious!

Chocolate Icecream

Bring 250ml milk to the boil. Whisk 2 eggyolks with 50g icing sugar, add it to the milk. Stir it well and than add 150ml whip cream. While it is still hot break 100g plain chocolate into it and stir until it has melted and the mixture is smooth. Leave until cold and then you can do it in your icecream-maker. Now you can follow the instructions of your icecream-maker. To make the icecream a little harder you have to put it a little time in the freezer.

Chocolate Cookies Parfait

Ingredients: 125 grams tea biscuits, 250 ml whipping cream, 120 grams plain chocolate, 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur, 2 eggs,

Crumble 125 grams tea biscuits. Beat 250 ml cream whipping cream until almost done and stir the cookie crubles in. Melt au-bain marie 120 grams of plain chocolate with a little butter and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur. Meanwhile split 2 eggs. When the chocolate is melted, stir in a tablespoon of icing sugar and 2 egg yolks. Beat the 2 egg whites to stiff and stir in the melted chocolate. Cover a cake tin with cling film and scoop half of the cookie cream in the tin. Scoop the chocolate mousse in it and then finish with the rest of the cookie cream. Cover it well off and put it cake tin in the freezer. Ideal to make in advance! Enjoy!

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients: 150 grams flour, 75 grams sugar, 75 grams butter, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 40 grams finely chopped dark chocolate,

Number of cookies: 19

Knead 150 grams flour, 75 grams sugar, 75 grams butter, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 40 grams finely chopped dark chocolate, to a cohesive dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave it an hour in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Roll the dough into a thin piece and make cookies of it. Place the cookies on a oven plate lined with baking paper. Place the oven plate about 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let the cookies cool. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coffee Cake

Ingredients: 200 grams butter, 285 grams golden caster sugar, 4 eggs, 140 grams flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 50 grams cocoa powder, 70 grams dark chocolate, 500 grams mascarpone, 4 tablespoons coffee liqueur,

Preheat the oven at 160 degrees (fan). Grease 2 equal cake forms with butter. Mix 200 grams butter and 200 grams golden caster sugar and mix well. Add gradually 4 eggs and mix to a light and fluffy batter. Add 140 grams flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 50 grams cocoa powder and 50 grams finely chopped dark chocolate and mix into a good batter. Fill each cake form with half of the batter. Place the cake forms both in the preheated oven for about 30 to 40 minutes. Prick with a satay stick in the cakes to make sure it is cooked. Let the cakes cool well on a rack. Meanwhile make the filling and top layer. Mix 500 grams mascarpone 85 grams golden caster sugar and 4 tablespoons coffee liqueur well. Cover with half the mixture the first cake. Then place the other cake on it. Cover this with the rest of the mascarpone mixture. Use a teaspoon to make a relief in the top layer. Sprinkle with about 20 grams of finely chopped dark chocolate. Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Hazelnuts

What is Valentine’s Day without something rich and chocolately?

This cake was quite delicious. We forgoed the brandied cherries (who plans a week ahead? seriously) but even without them it was excellent. Not too rich. I turned it into a dairy-free cake by substituting margarine and soy creamer for the butter and heavy cream.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Hazelnuts

Recipe from Bon Appetite.

INGREDIENTS
Cake
10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
10 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
9 large egg whites

Ganache
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 23/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round. Place chocolate and 1 1/4 cups butter in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool to lukewarm, about 10 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl until very thick and pale yellow in color, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Gently fold chocolate mixture into yolk mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in another large bowl until peaks form. Fold 1/3 of beaten whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes (cake will be puffed and soufflé-like while baking). Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes (cake will fall in center). Run knife around cake sides to loosen; press edge of cake down to make level with center. Remove pan sides and cool cake completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

For ganache:
Combine chocolate and cream in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from over water; let stand until ganache cools slightly but is still pourable, about 5 minutes.

Place cooled cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/2 cup ganache over top of cake. Using offset spatula, quickly spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Freeze cake 3 minutes. Pour remaining ganache over top of cake. Working quickly but gently and grasping pan bottom and rack together, slightly tilt rack with cake from side to side, allowing ganache to flow evenly over top and down sides of cake; smooth sides with offset spatula. Press hazelnuts onto sides of cake to adhere. Chill cake until ganache is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes before serving.

Featherlight Chocolate Cake

As good as the Mocha Buttercream Cake is, I can’t enjoy it, as it is chock full of dairy in all its creamy and buttery forms. So, in addition to the massive three layer cake we made this week, I baked myself this beautiful bundt, which can be made completely dairy free. The glaze wasn’t part of the original recipe, I added that myself, and used a soy creamer with ghirardelli dark chocolate chips. Again, dairy free. And wouldn’t you know, this was one of the best cakes I have ever eaten. Moist, chocolaty, and almost brownie-like. Mmmmm. Just be sure you grease and flour the bundt pan REALLY well, or you’ll end up with a crumby mess stuck to the pan. Not that it would be any less delicious still stuck to the pan… :)

Featherlight Chocolate Cake

Makes 10-12 servings. Recipe from Food Network.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 cup good-quality cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups ice water
5oz semisweet/dark chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream or soy creamer
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a bundt pan or tube pan.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar. One at a time, mix in the eggs, then the vanilla, occasionally scraping down the mixing bowl.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture; then 1/3 of the ice water. Repeat, mixing after each addition. Transfer the batter to the pan and bake until springy and dry, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cool in the pan on a rack, then carefully turn the cake out.

For glaze, combine cream and semisweet chocolate in small saucepan. Heat over low heat or in double boiler until chocolate is melted. Add more cream if glaze is too thick. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle over top of cake and serve.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

The name of this pie is the Gold Brick Chocolate Pecan Pie, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll know why. It is so dense, yet so delicious… takes pecan pie to a whole new level. It’s a bit tricky to eat, as the chocolate topping gets quite solid and hard to break through, but boy is it good. So good that no one will care if your crust isn’t pretty.

And you know, the edible gold leaf is completely optional… hehe.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Makes 1 9-inch pie. Recipe from Emeril.

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
8 ounces flour, about 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/4 pound) cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

1 cup milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped pecan pieces
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Edible gold leaf, torn or cut into flakes, garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
For crust, sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and work with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Add more water as needed to make a smooth dough, being careful not to over mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 11-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, trim and flute the edges. Let rest refrigerated for 20 minutes. Cover with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and cook until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

In the top of a double boiler, gently melt the chocolate chips over almost simmering water. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate with the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pecans. Pour into the cooled pie crust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Place half of the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Place the remaining bittersweet chocolate and the oil in the top of a double boiler, or in a small metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat the chocolate, whisking, until melted. Pour the melted chocolate over the chocolate in the bowl, whisking to melt. Pour over the warm pie, spreading to the edges to coat the top. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks start to form. Add the sugar and whip to stiff peaks.

Remove the pie from the refrigerator, slice and arrange on plates. Garnish each slice with edible gold flakes and serve with whipped cream on the side.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Silly me bought a mondo can of pumpkin to make last week’s Pumpkin Praline Pie. So needless to say I had a lot leftover, and who’s to throw out perfectly good pumpkin?

So I found this little gem of a recipe. Let’s just say that I have two more mondo cans of pumpkin waiting in the pantry, destined for more of these cookies.

There is something about the texture of these that is wonderful. They are lighter and fluffier than any cookie I’ve had before. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, not overpowering, and divine when combined with chocolate.

If you’re a pumpkin lover, you HAVE to make these cookies. Even if you’re not a pumpkin lover, after these, you just might become one!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen. Recipe from Food Network.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) chocolate chips
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Cinnamon-Rum Sauce

Bread pudding is one of those things I have never had. When it comes to dessert I want something that really sounds like dessert, like something rich and chocolatey. Bread for dessert never sounded appealing to me. Maybe this recipe caught my eye because of the chocolate chips, but I decided that for our unconventional dinner we needed an unconventional dessert. I was originally going to make a very yummy-sounding cranberry-ribbon apple pie, but decided it didn’t quite fit with the rest of our dinner. That and I didn’t want to battle with pie crust again. So I took on something completely new, and not only made and ate bread pudding for the first time in my life, I made my own bread too.

It was an all day endeavor, to say the least. But I knew our grocery store didn’t have any brioche or egg bread (we’ve looked), and didn’t want to settle for something ordinary for this dessert. I made my own egg bread, which I then cubed and doused with custard. A truly homemade dessert from start to finish. And well worth the effort… Taylor said it’s the best thing I’ve baked in a long time (keep in mind the things you’re competing with here). I gain approval from him not through compliments or material goods or other ways in which women gain approval from their men, no… I do it through baked goods. A mediocre pie, to me, is worse than a bad hair day any day of the week. So this… to be the best thing I’ve baked in a long time…. this was a huge success.

My only advice is to wait at least 90 minutes (if not more) after dinner before you even attempt to eat this. It’s filling, to say the least, and you want to be able to enjoy every last bit of it.

I searched high and low for an egg bread/brioche recipe to make for this pudding… After finding a myriad of recipes, all of them different, some taking days and requiring way too many complicated steps, I ended up going with one I knew had to work… Betty is a failsafe like that. The result was more of a rich white bread than a brioche, but it worked great for the pudding. And for my first foray into breadmaking, it turned out pretty darned good if I do say so myself!

Rich Egg Bread

Makes 1 loaf. Recipe from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.

INGREDIENTS
3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour (not self-rising)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast
1 cup very warm water (120Ëš to 130Ëš)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
melted butter or margarine (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Add egg, beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough in large bowl greased with shortening, turning dough to grease all sides. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours). Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Grease bottom and sides of an 8 1/2″ or 9″ loaf pan. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Flatten dough with hands or rolling pin into 18×9-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Press each end with side of hand to seal; fold ends under loaf. Place loaf, seam side down, in pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Move oven rack to low position so that top of pan will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 375ËšF. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan to wire rack. Brush loaf with butter and cool.

You can easily halve this recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan, or if you don’t have one, it fits perfectly in a 9.5″ pie dish. You can assemble the pudding a day ahead, cover and refrigerate, then bake just before serving.

Easily make a dairy free version of this recipe (that even the milk aficionados would have a hard time telling the difference) by substituting soy creamer for half and half and dairy-free margarine for the butter.

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Cinnamon-Rum Sauce

Makes 12 to 14 servings. Recipe from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
1 1-pound loaf brioche or egg bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2/3 of the Betty Crocker loaf, weight it just to be sure)
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

For sauce:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dark rum (brandy works nicely too if you don’t have rum)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13×9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place bread in large bowl; pour 8 tablespoons melted butter over bread and toss to coat. Add chocolate chips and toss to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.

Whisk half and half, 1 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt in large bowl to blend. Pour over bread cubes in dish. Let stand 30 minutes, occasionally pressing bread cubes into custard. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over pudding; sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake bread pudding until puffed, brown, and set in center, about 1 hour.

For sauce, melt unsalted butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in dark rum and vanilla extract. Drizzle over pudding. Serve warm.

Almost Molten Chocolate Cakes with “Bruised” Berry Sauce

Happy New Year! We’re quickly approaching the 1-year anniversary of Love and Olive Oil (our first post was of our Valentine’s dinner last February!). We are still trying new things and have yet to run out of recipes… needless to say we’re not stopping any time soon!

Our holiday treat to ourselves were some delicious Cumin Rubbed steaks, served with Cracked Potatoes and a side of lightly sautéed broccolini. A tasty meal, but no match for what followed…

For dessert… oh wonderful dessert… we partook in the ultimate chocolate indulgence: Molten Chocolate Cakes. Or, Almost Molten chocolate cakes. Our first two cooked a bit too long, so no oozy goodness in the middle, but still heavenly nonetheless. Since the recipe makes 4 ramekins, we saved two of them to enjoy again tonight. I cooked tonight’s batch for 13 minutes instead of 15, and they came out oozy and delicious.

One must always proceed with caution when making such a rich dessert. One bite could send you into a chocolate-induced coma. It was in my desire to be able to finish my pot of molten love that I scoured the web for a berry sauce or syrup or glaze that might cut the chocolate a bit. Take a bit of one recipe, the instructions in another, add a dash of brandy, and tada! The result was a bright and tangy compote of fresh blackberries and frozen blueberries (black and blue = bruised, hence the “Bruised” Berry sauce) that turned out to be the perfect companion to the cakes.

Needless to say there wasn’t much leftover…

Molten Chocolate Cakes with “Bruised” Berry Sauce

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
5 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
1 tablespoon brandy
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
Large pinch of salt
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Bruised Berry Sauce:
1 pint fresh blackberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoons brandy (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Generously butter four 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Arrange on baking sheet. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar, vanilla, 1 teaspoon espresso powder and salt in medium bowl until very thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Sift flour over batter; fold in flour. Fold in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among dishes, filling completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely; refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.)

For berry sauce, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, breaking up berries as the mixture cooks. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 teaspoon cold water and stir well. Add to berry mixture. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until mixture barely begins to simmer. Remove from heat. Strain mixture if you don’t want the berry pulp (we like the chunks, so skipped this step). Mix in brandy. Set aside. Sauce can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature (or rewarm) before serving.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake cakes until tops are puffed and dry and tester inserted into center comes out with moist batter still attached, about 15 minutes. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Turn out onto plate, drizzle with blackberry sauce, and serve immediately.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know the cookies that are just the right size, and just the right sweetness? The kind that ‘mysteriously’ disappear from the counter?

These are those cookies.

There were 4 left when I took this picture. I had also made a batch of mypumpkin chocolate chip cookies (can you say, sugar craving?) which as good as they are, didn’t disappear as quickly.

I came back later and there was one peanut butter cookie missing – it had been mysteriously swapped for a pumpkin cookie. A few hours later, another switch had occurred (might I add that the cookies were still aligned in a perfect row). Before I knew it, there were three pumpkin cookies in this arrangement and only one peanut butter bite left. Hmmm. Supernatural forces maybe? Ghosts of peanut-butter-loving pasts?

I never waited to find out, because I ate the last one before some(thing) else did.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes: Not enough (approx. 4 dozen).
Recipe from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook (someone buy this for me? please?)

INGREDIENTS
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (smooth is what we used, but I am pretty sure they use chunky at the bakery)
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk or soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup peanut butter chips
½ cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern (if you happen to get so excited about these cookies that you forget this step *cough*likeme*cough* not all is lost. actually, nothing is lost at all), but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Yesterday was Taylor’s birthday. And at 8:00 at night I decided he needed birthday cupcakes.

Cut to tonight, a mere 24 hours later… there are 2, count them 2, cupcakes left. Out of a batch of a dozen. While I would like to blame the kitchen elves for this, or the kitty, I know that we, just the two of us, are solely responsible for the extinction of this batch of oh-so-rich chocolate cupcakes.

That should tell you something about the amount of deliciousness we’re talking about here.

I knew I had made something good when Taylor marched into the office at 8:15 am this morning, with a cupcake in hand, saying, “It’s my birthday. I can have a cupcake at 8 in the morning if I darn well please!”. Me, well, I waited until at least 10 to have my morning cupcake. :)

Rich and chocolaty, with a smooth and not too sweet frosting speckled with vanilla, topped with a few sprinkles… yes these cupcakes beat a birthday cake any day, hands down.

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Makes 11-12 cupcakes.
Recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes:
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch processed or regular
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Vanilla Bean Frosting:
1/4 cup margarine (or butter), softened
1/4 cup tofutti (or regular) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the soymilk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no lumps remain (or very few remain).

Pour into liners, filling each with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For frosting, cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined. Add confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing each addition until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, and beat until fluffy and smooth. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use, then pipe/spread onto fully cooled cupcakes. Add sprinkles and don’t blink or they’ll all be gone.

Grown Up Hot Chocolate with Amaretto

Also known as, Chocolate Grog. Grog? Yes, as you’re basically drinking a liquid candy bar with a shot of amaretto. Thick. Very thick. Grog just sounds like the best word to describe it.

But boy is it good.

I found this recipe while browsing the blogosphere the other night… this recipe came from Slashfood. I knew I had to make it IMMEDIATELY, printed out the recipe, and marched into the kitchen. Marched, according to Taylor, who knew instantly that I had my mind set on baking something. Am I that obvious?

I increased the recipe a bit, because I didn’t think 1 cup of liquid would be enough to satisfy the two of us. I would NOT recommend doing this. 1/2 cup a person is MORE than enough, believe me. Like, a shot of this is enough to put you in a sugar coma for a week. And even more so if I had actually had Ghirardelli chips instead of the cheap kind.

I de-moo’d (to de-moo; definition: to make dairy free) this recipe and simply substituted part soy milk and part soy creamer for the half and half, then topped it with mini marshmallows instead of whipped cream. You can follow the original recipe and I’m sure it would still be like a liquid candy bar.

I should also comment on the precious mugs we christened with this recipe… a gift from auntie Sal, aren’t they lovely?

Grown Up Hot Chocolate with Amaretto

INGREDIENTS
4 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (or semisweet chocolate chips)
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon amaretto
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄2 cup whipped cream
Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate chips and half-and-half over low heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Simmer for 1 minute or until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat; whisk in the liqueur and vanilla. Pour into four 1⁄2-cup demitasse or coffee cups. Top each serving with whipped cream and dust with cocoa. Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Sorbet with Chocolate Dipped Almond Wafers

On to dessert, and oh what a wonderful dessert it was!

About a month ago, we attended a cooking class at the Viking Store nearby. A Christmas present from Taylor’s mom. This was the dessert that we were served during that class, and I instantly knew it’d be one I’d have to make at home. Valentine’s day gave us the perfect excuse to do just that.

The cookies are delicate and sweet with almond flavor. They look surprisingly like pringles potato chips before they are dipped in semi-sweet chocolate. I didn’t have a baguette pan like the recipe called for to form such a shape, but instead used a foil-covered rolling pin, which seemed to work just fine. Keep an eye on these cookies, as mine began to brown around the edges after only 7 minutes.

Chocolate Dipped Almond Wafers

Makes 12 cookies.
Recipe from Viking Cooking School.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg white
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325ËšF. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

Place the toasted almonds in the bowl of a mini-food processor; process until coarsely ground. Remove 1/2 of the almonds and set aside. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground.

Pour the almond/flour mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in the egg white, melted butter, and almond extract; continue whisking until the batter is smooth.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of batter onto the silicone-lined baking sheet. Spread with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to form a circle that is approximately 3-inches in diameter. Place only four on the baking sheet, and space them well apart. Sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon of the reserved toasted almonds. Bake until the edges just start to brown and the centers are light golden in color, about 10-12 minutes (or 6-8, watch them carefully!).

Remove the pan from the oven. Let cool for approximately 30-60 seconds, then test the edge of one of the wafers to see if it will lift easily from the pan. When it does, working quickly, use a broad spatula to lift up each one and set it in the curve of a baguette pan. Let stand until completely cool and crisp. Repeat the procedure with the remaining batter.

When all the cookies are cool, dip one-half of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets to set.

As far as the sorbet goes, it is good. Sweet, slightly tangy, and fruity. I don’t know if I didn’t let it mix long enough in the ice cream maker, but it was a bit icy and didn’t hold together well when we ate it (I would have loved a photo with perfectly formed scoops, but the sorbet wouldn’t have it). But it tastes so good it doesn’t really matter what it looks like!

I’m sure you could juice a fresh pomegranate for this, but who in their right mind would want to do that? The bottled stuff works just fine!

Pomegranate Sorbet

Makes 4 servings.
Recipe from Viking Cooking School.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups pomegranate juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (optional, for garnish)

DIRECTIONS
Combine the water and sugar in a medium sauce pan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold.

Combine the chilled sugar syrup, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice. Refrigerate until cold.

Process the chilled mixture in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Process to a soft-serve consistency, then transfer the mixture to a storage container. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surgace, seal the container and freeze until firm.

To serve, scoop into chilled dishes, garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds, if desired, and serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Does anyone ever go through a whole bunch of bananas? I feel like whenever I do buy them (for smoothies or whatever), I can never finish them before they turn a lovely shade of speckled black. But ever since I can remember, I’ve never thrown these black bananas out. Instead, when they are just past the point where you’d want to eat them sliced over cereal, well, that’s when they are just starting to get good. Yup, whenever I see two lonely black bananas on the counter, I just know. It’s banana bread time.

But not just any banana bread. There will be no nuts contaminating this loaf of love. Nope, this banana bread is speckled with mini chocolate chips.

Yes, chocolate chips. Breakfast doesn’t get any better than that!

But be warned, after eating this, you’ll find yourself hoping your bananas turn black! You’ll find yourself scouring the banana display at the store for the yellowest bananas, in hopes that they will ripen the quickest. When speaking of this banana bread, black bananas are pure gold.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk or soymilk
1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350ËšF. Grease and flour 1 large loaf pan. In large bowl, beat together all ingredients. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until top is dark brown and cracked, and a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out spotless (unless you hit a chocolate chip, of course).