Tag Archives: #chocolatefriendsoftenaciousm

Aug17

Chocolate Crunch Bark and Spiced Cashew Brittle

Posted on by
Standard

Crunchy chocolate bark alongside cayenne-spiked cashew brittle is delicious. Awesome!

spiced-cashew-brittle-chocolate-crunch-bark-recipe-fw0512-th2

Yields: about 2 pounds
Total Time: 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup(s) whole raw cashews
1 cup(s) sugar
1/2 cup(s) light corn syrup
1 stick(s) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/4 cup(s) water
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
8 ounce(s) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup(s) Rice Krispies or feuilletine

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the cashews on a small baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, stirring once. Keep the cashews warm.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with buttered parchment paper. In a saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and water to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until a deep amber toffee forms, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the baking soda and cayenne; it will bubble up. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the warm cashews.

3. Pour the hot candy onto the baking sheet and spread it as thinly as possible. Let cool completely, then break into large shards.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt two-thirds of the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate reaches 130 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until melted and the temperature drops to 85 degrees F. Return the bowl to the saucepan and warm the chocolate to 90 degrees F, stirring. Remove from the heat. Fold in the Rice Krispies. Spread the mixture on the parchment in a 1/4-inch-thick layer. Let harden completely, then break into large shards.

Aug15

Rocky Road Bars

Posted on by
Standard

I figure if the ice cream works for me, I should try the cookies as well. Who wouldn’t like to find one of these rich treats in a lunchbox or party favor bag? Just wrap each bar in a piece of waxed paper for mess-free transport. Place walnuts in a resealable plastic bag, and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them to desired size.

Rocky Road Bars 1

PREP: 10 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS 45 MINS
SERVINGS:12

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter the paper. Set aside.

STEP 2
In a medium saucepan, place butter and cocoa; heat over low, stirring constantly, until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, egg, flour, milk, and vanilla until combined.

Rocky Road Bars

STEP 3
Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven; sprinkle top evenly with marshmallows, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Return to oven, and bake until marshmallows puff, about 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Then refrigerate until topping hardens, about 1 hour. Use paper overhang to lift from pan; cut into 12 bars.

Aug12

Chocolate-Mint Thumbprints

Posted on by
Standard

Thumbprint cookies — made by pressing a small round of dough with the thumb to form an indentation — are great for filling with chocolate or jam. Feel free to mix the batter with any kind of mint-flavored candy, like Andes chocolate mints, but any kind of mint-flavored chocolate works well.

chocolate-mint-thumbprint-pqWiiM-lg

Yields: 44 cookies
Total Time: 2 hr 30 min

Ingredients

2 ounce(s) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounce(s) mint chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
2 stick(s) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
2 tablespoon(s) dark brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
1 cup(s) coarse sugar such as Turbinado, for rolling
3 ounce(s) white chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon(s) pure peppermint extract

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the bittersweet and mint chocolates in 30-second intervals until nearly melted. Whisk until smooth, then let cool. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cocoa and salt.

2. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Scrape the chocolate into the mixer and beat just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed, scraping the side of the bowl occasionally, until smooth. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and pat it into a 7-inch disk; wrap it up and refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread the coarse sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop up tablespoons of the dough and roll them into balls, then roll in the coarse sugar; transfer to the baking sheets. Using your thumb or a melon baller, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until slightly firm. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven. Using the melon baller, press into the cookies again. Return the cookies to the oven, shifting the cookie sheets, and bake for 5 minutes longer, just until dry but not hard. Transfer the cookie sheets to racks to cool completely.

4. Put the white chocolate in a heatproof cup. Put the cream into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at high power until boiling, about 30 seconds. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and let stand until melted, then whisk until smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. Fill the thumbprints with the white-chocolate ganache and refrigerate just until set, about 30 minutes.

Aug6

Chocolate-orange Cake

Posted on by
Standard

Top dark chocolate cake layers with a layer of orange marmalade and an easy buttercream frosting that’s flavored with orange peel and orange liqueur. Enjoy!

orange-cake-su-600643-l

Ingredients

1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, other orange-flavored liqueur, or thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
Foolproof buttercream
Double-layer chocolate cake
About 1/3 cup orange marmalade

Preparation

1. Stir orange peel and Grand Marnier into foolproof buttercream.

2. Spread bottom layer of cake with orange marmalade, then about 3/4 cup of the orange buttercream.

3. Top with remaining cake layer and frost with remaining buttercream. Garnish the top of the cake with thin shreds of fresh orange peel.

Jul31

Hawaiian Brownie Sundaes

Posted on by
Standard

Insanely Delicious!! The dark, rich chocolate in these Hawaiian-style brownies perfectly complements the sweet, moist coconut and macadamia nuts. Enjoy!

hawaiian-brownie-sundae_0003-lg

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min
Prep Time: 35 min
Cook Time: 45 min

Ingredients

Brownies
Shortening, for preparing pan
1 teaspoon(s) cocoa powder, for preparing pan
1/2 pound(s) unsalted butter
1 pound(s) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3 ounce(s) premium unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
2 tablespoon(s) chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon(s) pure vanilla extract
1 cup(s) sugar
2 tablespoon(s) sugar
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon(s) fine sea salt
1 cup(s) coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup(s) sweetened flaked coconut

Chocolate Sauce
8 ounce(s) premium semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup(s) heavy cream
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract

For Serving
1 quart(s) premium coffee ice cream
1/2 cup(s) toasted coconut, for garnish
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-9-inch pan with shortening, then coat with cocoa powder. Set aside.

2. Place butter, 1/2 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until melted and smooth, stirring frequently. Cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, chocolate syrup, vanilla, and sugar. Add mixture to warm melted chocolate and cool.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour with baking powder and salt, then stir into chocolate mixture. In another mixing bowl, combine macadamia nuts and remaining 1/2 pound chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons flour until nuts and chips are coated. Add nuts, chips, and coconut to chocolate mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.

4. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove pan from oven, tap it several times to remove air from brownies. Continue to bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely.

5. Make the sauce by placing chopped chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla and stir until combined.

6. Cut brownies into 8 large squares and place on serving plates. Top each with two scoops of ice cream (about 1/2 cup), ladle with chocolate sauce to taste, and sprinkle with toasted coconut and powdered sugar. Garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.

Jul28

Chocolate-Popcorn Bark

Posted on by
Standard

For the ultimate sweet treat, make up a batch of Chocolate-Popcorn Bark.

chocolate-popcorn-bark-ay-l

Ingredients

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
6 cups plain popped popcorn
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread almonds on an ungreased, rimmed baking sheet; bake until golden and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring twice. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 250ºF; wipe off baking sheet.

2. Spread popcorn and almonds in a single layer on baking sheet. In a pan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil; let boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over popcorn mixture and stir to coat. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool, then crush slightly.

3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let water boil or let bottom of bowl touch water.) When chocolate is melted, pour it onto baking sheet; spread evenly. Top with popcorn mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. Break bark into pieces and store in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper.

Jul25

Cheesecake-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cake

Posted on by
Standard

Start with a package of devil’s food cake mix for this decadent layer cake that’s filled with chopped frozen cheesecake bites and chocolate candy bars. The over-the-top cream cheese frosting is drenched with dulce de leche caramel sauce and topped with chocolate cookies.

cheesecake-stuffed-cake-oh-1923498-l

Ingredients

Unsweetened cocoa
1 (18.25-oz.) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons chocolate extract (optional)
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 (1.55-oz.) milk chocolate bars, chopped (we tested with Hershey’s)
3 (16-oz.) cans homestyle cream cheese frosting
3 (7.75-oz.) boxes frozen cheesecake bites, coarsely chopped (Sara Lee)
1 (12-oz.) jar dulce de leche caramel sauce (Smucker’s)
Double chocolate rolled wafer cookies, coarsely broken (Pirouline)
Chocolate fudge rolled wafer cookies, coarsely broken (Pepperidge Farm)

Preparation

1. Grease 2 (9″) round cake pans, and dust with cocoa.

2. Beat cake mix and next 7 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute; then beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Fold in chopped milk chocolate bars. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake at 350° for 32 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool cake in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and chill cake layers at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. (This step enables you to split cake layers with ease.)

4. Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with one-fourth of chopped cheesecake bites.

5. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 layers, frosting, and cheesecake bites, omitting cheesecake bites on top of last layer. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Drizzle desired amount of caramel sauce over cake, letting it drip down sides. Chill until ready to serve. Decorate cake with rolled wafer cookies and remaining chopped cheesecake bites. Store in refrigerator.

Jul24

No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Posted on by
Standard

With a candy-bar-inspired top and a crumbly cookie base, each of these rich squares packs a double dose of that perfect pairing: chocolate and peanut butter.

No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

YIELD:Makes 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS

Vegetable oil cooking spray
9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1
Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.

STEP 2
Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

STEP 3
Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.

STEP 4
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.

STEP 5
Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Jul21

Fudgy Fantasy Bars

Posted on by
Standard

fudgy-fantasy-bars_0014-lg

These chocolate Italian cream bars will surely melt in your mouth. They are delicious and well worth the effort.

Yields: 36 bars
Total Time: 25 min
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

1 package(s) (17.5 ounces) sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup(s) cocoa baking powder
1/2 cup(s) butter or margarine, melted
1 large egg
2/3 cup(s) toasted chopped pecans
1/2 cup(s) sweetened flaked coconut
1 package(s) (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup(s) whipping (heavy) cream
1 block(s) (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup(s) chocolate syrup
2 cup(s) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1 .Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil. Let some foil hang over the edges. Set aside.

2. Stir cookie mix and cocoa powder in large mixing bowl until well mixed. Add butter and egg, stirring until soft dough forms. Add pecans and coconut; knead to combine.

3. With wet fingers, press dough evenly over prepared baking pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or just until set. Cool completely.

4. Place chocolate chips and whipping cream in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and the mixture is smooth. Spread 1 cup evenly over cooled cookie base.

5. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and chocolate syrup at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add whipped topping and beat until light and fluffy. Spread cheese mixture evenly over ganache layer. Carefully spread remaining ganache evenly over cheese filling.

6. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Lift bars with foil handles. Run wet knife around edges of cookie to peel off foil. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator.

Jul14

Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crunch

Posted on by
Standard

This candy has a lot going for it: It’s economical, super simple to make, impressive to look at, and—oh, right— I totally almost forgot how irresistibly munchable it is. It’s perfect for any kind of potluck or get-together; make it for a dessert swap and watch it magically disappear before your eyes. Suggestion: Use plain, unsalted matzo (so you can put in the exact amount of salt you want), but use whichever kind you like. It can’t help but be delectable. (If you want to fancy this up, add your favorite toppings— like unsweetened coconut, which makes this an alternative to the tooth-jarringly sweet macaroons that are often available on the same shelf as the matzo.)

Chocolate toffee-matzoh crunch

Makes about 50 two-inch pieces

Ingredients

4 1/2 sheets unsalted matzo
1 cup packed light brown sugar
14 Tbsp. (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
6.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (1 cup)
1 Tbsp. fleur de sel or coarse sea salt, or 1/3 cup toppings such as slivered almonds, or chopped dried cherries, or unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.

2. Place the matzo in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, breaking it into pieces where necessary to fill the pan completely. Set aside.

3. Combine the brown sugar and butter in a medium size (4-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly with the heatproof spatula, bring to a boil, then continue to cook, still stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and is just starting to pull away from the side of the pan, about 3 minutes.

4. Remove the mixture from the heat and sprinkle in the fine sea salt, stirring well to incorporate it. Pour it over the matzo in the baking sheet, spreading it in an even layer with the spatula. Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 350°.

5. Bake, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn, until the toffee bubbles up and turns a rich golden brown, 15 minutes. If it looks like it’s starting to burn, turn the heat down to 325°.

6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate over the hot matzo. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then spread the now-melted chocolate evenly with the spatula and sprinkle with the salt or your favorite toppings while the chocolate is still melted.

7. Allow the matzo to cool completely, 20 to 30 minutes, then break it into smaller pieces (roughly 2-inch square).