Tag Archives: Chocolate

May9

Chocolate-Bourbon-Butterscotch Icebox Cake

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Elegant, showstopper desserts don’t come much easier than this. Each slice resembles fine pastry.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup cornstarch
3 cups milk
4 large eggs
1/2 cup butter
2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup bourbon
64 chocolate wafers (about 1 1/2 [9-oz.] packages)
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Garnish: crushed chocolate wafers

Directions

1. Place cornstarch in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in milk and eggs.

2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, and stir in brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes or until mixture bubbles and becomes shiny.

3. Gradually whisk cream into butter mixture. (Mixture will bubble and clump but will get smooth as it cooks.) Cook, whisking constantly, 4 to 5 minutes or until smooth.

4. Gradually whisk about one-fourth of hot butter mixture into egg mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Gradually add egg mixture to remaining hot butter mixture, whisking constantly.

5. Increase heat to medium-high. Add vanilla and salt, and cook, whisking constantly, about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble. Remove from heat, and stir in bourbon. Place plastic wrap directly onto warm filling (to prevent a film from forming). Cool completely (about 2 hours).

6. Place 16 cookies in a single layer on bottom of a 9-inch square pan. Spread 1 1/2 cups pudding over cookies. Repeat layers 3 times, using remaining pudding on top layer. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours. Just before serving, top with Sweetened Whipped Cream.

May5

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting

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These Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are super moist, fluffy, and richly chocolatey. The velvety ganache frosting is perfect, while zucchini lends moisture and some veggie power!

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Ingredients

Cupcake Batter:
1 cups all purpose flour
1¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup + 2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee granules (decaf is fine)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp table salt
2 large eggs
½ cup + 2 TB canola oil
1½ cups finely grated zucchini, loosely packed
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (mini’s are best, as they melt into the cake well)

Orange-Ganache Frosting:
4½ oz semi sweet chocolate morsels
½ cup heavy cream
2 tsp orange extract
Optional: shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) for garnish

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Line or grease a standard muffin pan. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine well.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add oil, zucchini, and mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine well.

4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold together the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Fold gently just until no more dry streaks of flour remain; do not overmix. Bake 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached (be sure to test in a cake-only spot; cracked spots tend to be misleading, since melted chocolate chips sit in those cracks.) Cool cupcakes completely.

5. Meanwhile, make the Ganache: In a heavy saucepan, add chocolate morsels and heavy cream. Constantly stir on low heat until smooth and melted. Add orange extract and stir until combined. Remove from heat and let cool enough for ganache to thicken to a frost-able consistency. Frost as desired and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Apr25

Chocolate Matzo Madness Toffee

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Take a crack at this Southern spin on a traditional Passover treat. But it’s not only relegated to the holiday. In fact, you can make this sweet snack year-round using saltine crackers for a crispy, salty base that makes the chocolate and pecans pop in your mouth. So do yourself a favor and indulge!

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Ingredients

1 cup (8 oz.) salted butter, plus butter to grease pan
4 to 5 sheets lightly salted matzos
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 teaspoon Maldon sea salt, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 18- x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Grease foil with butter. Arrange matzos in prepared pan, breaking as necessary to fit and completely cover bottom.

2. Bring 1 cup butter and brown sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium, whisking occasionally. Boil, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Carefully pour mixture over matzos; spread over matzos.

3. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove baking sheet from oven to a wire rack. Let stand 1 minute. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top; let stand until chips soften, about 2 minutes. Spread chocolate over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle with pecans; sprinkle with salt, if desired. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Chill toffee until firm, about 30 minutes. Break or cut into about 36 pieces. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week in refrigerator.

Apr22

Chocolate-Key Lime Cupcake Pies

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This cupcake version of a chocolate-key lime pie is an ideal pick-up dessert for entertaining. Make a crumb crust with chocolate wafers and top with a sweet cream cheese mixture with fresh key lime juice. Try cupcake pies with sweetened whipped cream, fresh cherries, blackberries, and mint leaves.

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Ingredients

12 jumbo-size aluminum foil baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray
1 (9-oz.) package chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons key lime zest
1/3 cup fresh key lime juice
3 large eggs
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, fresh cherries and blackberries, fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place 12 jumbo-size aluminum foil baking cups in lightly greased muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray.

2. Pulse chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until finely crushed. Stir together cookie crumbs and butter; firmly press on bottom and two-thirds up sides of each baking cup (about 3 Tbsp. crumbs per cup).

3. Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add lime zest and lime juice, beating at low speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Spoon mixture into prepared cups, filling completely full.

4. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until set. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 15 minutes or until completely cool. Cover and chill 4 hours. Garnish, if desired.

Apr13

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Icebox Cake

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This crowd-pleasing icebox cake uses already prepared cookies; the only real work is having to wait to eat it while it chills.

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Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter (not unsalted)
1 box (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups cream with sugar until soft peaks form. In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter until soft and smooth; whisk in 1/2 cup cream until light and fluffy. Fold peanut-butter mixture into whipped cream until incorporated.

2. Dab the bottom of 6 cookies with a very small amount of cream mixture and arrange in a circle on a serving plate; place 1 cookie in the middle of circle. Top with cup cream mixture, spreading outward to cover all but outer edges of cookies. Repeat process 5 more times (staggering the cookie layers), ending with cream. Cut 3 cookies in half; decorate top of cake with cookie halves.

3. Refrigerate cake at least 8 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

Apr5

Dutch Oven Cheesecake

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A creamy, delicious marshmallow cheesecake that you can make in a dutch oven! With a fun topping bar including chocolate ganache, Honey Maid Graham Crackers, and more!

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Ingredients

10 inch dutch oven
8 inch spring form pan
aluminum foil
2 cups water
30 pieces of charcoal (more may be needed)

Crust
1 cup Honey Maid Graham Crackers
¼ cup butter, melted
2 Tbs sugar

Filling
2- 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
⅓ cup marshmallow fluff
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Start your charcoal. Light it, and get it going so it is hot. Depending on weather conditions, make a foil tent around it to keep it hot.

2. Crush graham crackers

3. Mix with melted butter and sugar to form a crust

4. Press the Honey Maid graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a springform pan

5. Put 2 cups of water in the bottom of a 10 inch dutch oven

6. Place 8 charcoal pieces under the dutch oven, and 12 on the lid, put the lid over the top and start heating the dutch oven and water.

7. While that is heating, mix together the filling. Use a hand mixer, or just mix really well, and mix the cream cheese and sugar, vanilla, marshmallow fluff, and heaving whipping cream.

8. When well mixed, add the eggs, one at a time, and blend until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour over crust into springform pan. If your pan is not airtight, put foil around the bottom edge so the water bath does not seep in and ruin your cheesecake.

9. Carefully lift the lid to the dutch oven, and place the springform inside the heated water.

10. Replace lid and let cook for about 1- 1½ hours, until no longer jiggly in center. Replace coals as needed to keep the dutch oven hot and heating evenly.

11. Once cooked, remove from dutch oven, and let cool. Then top as you wish. For me it was chocolate ganache and graham crackers.

Apr4

Chocolate Turtle Bundt Cake

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This irresistible chocolate turtle bundt cake is a made-from-scratch chocolate caramel pecan delight. It’s drizzled with a buttery pecan-caramel sauce and a healthy drizzle of silky chocolate ganache. It’s a cake that’s dressed to impress even the pickiest of dessert eaters.

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Ingredients

1 recipe Chocolate Buttermilk Cake made in a bundt pan
1 cup roughly chopped pecan pieces, toasted
Caramel-pecan sauce:
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick or 4 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate ganache:
1½ cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup heavy cream

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Directions

1. Prepare the chocolate buttermilk cake per the directions. Bake in a buttered and floured bundt pan for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack.

2. Spread the pecan pieces in a single layer on a sheet pan. Toast in a 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes Set aside to cool.

4. To make the caramel-pecan sauce: In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat melt together the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.

4. Remove the caramel sauce from the heat then add the vanilla and toasted pecans. Stir until the pecans are coated. Set aside to cool slightly.

5. To make the ganache: in a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream in 20 second increments stopping to stir each time. Repeat until completely smooth.

6. Place the bundt cake on a cake pedestal or platter. Drizzle with ⅓ of the chocolate ganache and ⅓ of the caramel pecan sauce. Repeat drizzling the cake on all sides until both of the sauces are used.

7. Store chilled bringing to room temperature for serving.

NOTES
The caramel-pecan sauce and chocolate ganache should still be warm but still pourable before drizzling onto the cake.

Mar14

Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream Cake

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This decadent Springtime treat of rich and chewy nibby brownies are topped with coffee ice cream and a billowy layer of no-churn sweet cream ice cream.

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Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

NIbby Brownies & Coffee Ice Cream

FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER
8 ounces bitterweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cacao nibs

FOR THE COFFEE ICE CREAM LAYER
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup coffee beans, coarsely ground
3/4 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
pinches salt

No-Churn Ice Cream

14 ounces can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons bourbon
pinches salt

Directions

1. FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER: Preheat oven to 350º F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the bottom and sides generously

2. Put the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Let cool.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is lighter in color, about 3 minutes.

4. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk to combine, then fold in the flour and 2 tablespoons of the cacao nibs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the rest of the nibs.

5. Slide your pan into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. Cool completely, then remove the outside of the springform pan and slice the brownie round in half horizontally. I find the brownies are easiest to slice after a few minutes in the refrigerator. Leave the bottom half of the brownies in the pan and put the outside of the springform pan back in place. Break the top layer of brownie into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Then prepare the coffee ice cream.

6. FOR THE COFFEE ICE CREAM LAYER: Heat 1 cup of heavy cream to just below simmering, turn off heat, add the coffee beans, and let steep for 5 minutes. Drain the mixture through a coffee filter and transfer it to a bowl with a strainer set over it.

7. Combine the milk, remaining heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, being careful to not let the mixture boil. Stir often, and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture over the coffee-infused cream and stir to combine. Add in the coffee liqueur if using. Chill over an ice bath (or for a few hours in the fridge).

8. When completely chilled, churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spread the soft ice cream mixture over the trimmed brownie layer still in the pan. You want to fill the pan so it is about halfway full, which means you will probably have a bit of extra ice cream leftover; freeze it in an airtight container to enjoy later. Top the coffee ice cream with the broken brownie pieces. Put the pan in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the sweet cream ice cream

9. FOR THE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM LAYER: Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, bourbon, and salt together in a large bowl.

10. In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Then gently fold it into the condensed milk mixture.

11. Top the coffee ice cream and brownies with the sweet cream mixture (you may have a bit leftover) and freeze overnight before slicing. Just before serving, sprinkle with a few teaspoons of cacao nibs and top the slices with chocolate sauce. I like this Magic Shell with a pinch of salt. Enjoy!

Mar1

Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownies

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Ok, these brownies I’m sharing today are the REAL deal friends! Holy cow! Whip up a batch of brownies and add some Reese’s peanut butter cups in the batter to sweeten things up. Make a cheesecake frosting, and that’s it. These Reese’s peanut butter brownies are dangerously delicious! WOW! You must try them!

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Ingredients

Refrigerated
3 Eggs
Baking & Spices
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened
5 1/2 cups Flour
2 tsp Vanilla
1 12 oz pkg White chocolate reese’s peanut butter cups milk chocolate is yummy too, mini
2 cups White sugar

Dairy
1 cup Butter, salted
1 cube Cream cheese
1/2 cup Eaglebrand sweet condensed milk

Directions

1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add one egg in at a time. Mix in cocoa, flour and baking powder. Beat until smooth. Split the bag of reeses in half. You will use half the bag in the brownie batter and half the bag for the frosting. Cut the reeses into four pieces and mix into the batter.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes in a 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Do NOT over bake.

3. Allow brownies to cool for one hour.

4. For the frosting beat together the cream cheese, sweet condensed milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Spread on top of the brownies. Sprinkle the remaining reese’s on top and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Feb23

Milk-Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust

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This dessert is a tribute to the chocolate-covered pretzel and hits just the right salty-sweet note. Mix crushed pretzels with flour, butter, sugar and egg to make a crunchy crust. Pours in a luxurious milk-chocolate filling, then sprinkle on more crushed pretzels as a garnish. Delish!

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Ingredients

CRUST
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
FILLING
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 pound milk chocolate, chopped
Maldon sea salt, crushed pretzels and crème fraîche, for serving

Directions

1. In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 3/4 cup of the pretzels and the confectioners’ sugar at low speed until creamy. Beat in the flour and egg. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of pretzels, being sure to leave some pretzel pieces intact. Flatten the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap to a 12-inch round. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough over a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the corners and patch any tears. Trim the overhanging dough and refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes or until firm.

3. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, until nearly set. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the tart shell is firm; cover the edge with foil if it darkens too much. Let the shell cool completely. Brush the melted chocolate over the bottom and up the side and refrigerate for 10 minutes, until set.

4. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Off the heat, add the milk chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

5. Pour the filling into the shell and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and crushed pretzels. Cut into wedges, top with crème fraîche; serve.