With the pie dough made in advance, these sweet little pops were a cinch to make. The Nutella bakes up almost brownie like, which makes these pops totally irresistible. Of course, you can substitute Nutella with your favorite filling. The possibilities are practically endless – peanut (or other nut) butter, strawberries or other berries, apples, cherries, peaches, pumpkin. You get the idea. And while I think the pop aspect of these makes them super fun, you can obviously leave out the stick and have Nutella hand pies.

This cake is for the serious chocolate lover. I’m usually all for lighter Easter desserts (like this lemon loaf cake), but this intensely chocolaty cake cannot be beat. The cake is an ultra rich chocolate cake filled and frosted with whipped chocolate ganache and then completely covered with more chocolate ganache. Oh, then the whole thing is topped with homemade chocolate truffle eggs. The cake may seem labor intensive, but you can break it up into steps over a couple days to make it more manageable. I promise you, the end result is well worth it. Seriously, people, you need to make this cake this weekend. You absolutely will not regret it.

Even though I’m sure some of you will have more chocolate than you know what to do with after Sunday, I thought I’d give you the chance to get even more. :) Theo Chocolate is one of my favorite companies. They’re all about organic, Fair Trade, non-GMO chocolate. Additionally, they’ve got a special line of Congolese chocolate that helps out the Eastern Congo Initiative. Basically, I love their chocolate and everything they stand for, and they’ve agreed to send a sampler pack to one of you lucky readers! Just head on over to the giveaway page to enter.

Someone was trying to sneak a bite!

These brownies are like a simple version of my favorite dessert ever, triple chocolate mousse cake. A rich brownie layer is topped with a light and fluffy Nutella espresso mousse, making for one seriously decadent dessert. To take it completely over the top, I covered the whole thing in homemade chocolate curls. Because it’s Valentine’s Day, and I’ll take any excuse to add more chocolate to an already chocolaty dessert. Case in point – this recipe originally called for an espresso mousse, but I couldn’t resist incorporating this Nutella mousse I made last Valentine’s Day. This indulgent dessert is sure to please whoever you’re making it for, but I won’t judge you if you decide to keep it all to yourself.

Have you ever met a celebrity? If so, did you totally flip out? When I was 17, I met Nick Carter (yes, from the Backstreet Boys). There was a line of girls waiting to meet him, and every single one of them was borderline hysterical. Some of them were even in tears. I was with my friend, who, by the time we made it to the front of the line, was basically trembling. When it was our turn, I stepped up, introduced myself and shook his hand. He seemed a little surprised but shook back. My friend, meanwhile, couldn’t even spell her name for him to sign her shirt. As we got ready to leave, he hugged each of us and whispered to me, “Thank you for introducing yourself to me like I’m just any other person. I’m not sure anyone has ever done that.” What he didn’t know was that, internally, I was just like all those other girls, but with my friend freaking out, I figured one of us needed to be able to talk to him.

I’ve met a few famous (to me, and likely to all of you) people since then, and I always try to reserve my squealing and excitement until after it’s over. It’s not so hard to do when it’s just one person. Imagine how I felt, though, when I saw the list of attendees for Big Summer Potluck last year. I was going to be surrounded by famous people! I told myself it would be fine. After all, they all had blogs before writing cookbooks. No big deal, right? While waiting on the bus the first morning, I was in a lobby full of people. Most of us were chatting and introducing ourselves to people we hadn’t met the night before and everything was going well. I was insanely nervous, probably more than I let on, but I was starting to feel more comfortable. Someone walked up and noticed that we all had our food (for the potluck) with us. She asked me if we were supposed to bring it, and I told her yes because the bus wouldn’t be coming back to the hotel until that night. She went to grab her dish, and I walked out to the bus. A couple minutes later, when it was time to take off, I heard someone say something like “We’re waiting on Deb. She had to go grab the food from her room.” It was at that moment that I realized I had been talking to Deb from Smitten Kitchen. I’m not going to lie, it’s probably a good thing I didn’t recognize her because, as nervous as I was, I’m quite certain I would’ve gone all fangirl and freaked her out. I texted Eric from the bus “OMG I talked to Deb from Smitten Kitchen and didn’t even know it.” So apparently I’m cool around boy band members but not around big-time bloggers/cookbook authors. Go figure. After tasting a couple recipes from her book, I’m not sure I could meet her now and refrain from hugging her right away and telling her how awesome she is.

I saw a picture of the title of this recipe before I even got the book, and I pretty much thought about them continuously after that. I finally got the chance to make them with my friend Amanda while she and her husband were visiting last week. These pretzels are made using a genius method that only requires the brioche to rise once. Brioche is my favorite bread (it’s so rich and buttery!), and of course adding chocolate to it makes it even better. These are in the breakfast section of the book, and I kind of love Deb for putting them there. That means it’s perfectly acceptable for me to make these on a lazy weekend morning and call it breakfast. I mean, if doughnuts are a breakfast food, why not pretzels? The process may seem complicated, but I assure you it’s far from it. I only wish I had pearl sugar to sprinkle on at the end. I’m ordering some so that I can use it next time I make these (which will be as soon as that sugar gets here).

My friend Josie is set to have her twins any day now, and our group of friends couldn’t let this occasion pass without a surprise for her. It was almost a year ago that these same friends surprised me with a baby shower, and I so wish we were all together again. Since we can’t be, we decided to throw a little virtual shower for Josie. Annie had the idea for us to incorporate foods that are perfect pairs to celebrate Josie’s two sweet boys, and I couldn’t resist doing something with chocolate and coffee (one of my favorite flavor combinations). I think Josie’s going to love the pairs that everyone chose. Annie used tequila and lime to make a Paloma cocktail, which is actually one of Eric’s favorite drinks. Elly put sausage and biscuits together into one perfect breakfast item, and Tara made the classic combination of shrimp and grits.

You don’t have to convince me that chocolate has an infinite number of perfect matches, but something wonderful happens when chocolate and coffee come together. And, seeing as how Josie will soon be a mom of four, I figured she’d need some extra coffee in her life. This cake is lusciously decadent and oh so delicious. This is basically the chocolate cake of my dreams – moist, fluffy and perfectly sweetened. The coffee buttercream is smooth and has a subtle coffee flavor. The recipe description says that even coffee-averse people will like this cake, and I totally agree. As if a chocolate cake with coffee buttercream wasn’t awesome enough, this one is covered with dark chocolate ganache, taking it completely over the top. I mean, seriously. How could anyone resist a cake with chocolate dripping down the sides?

A note about the buttercream: This recipe is unlike any recipe for frosting I’ve made (and this is coming from someone that worked at a cupcake shop). It’s a cooked frosting, but it’s not Swiss or Italian meringue. This frosting is made with, wait for it, flour. The flour is cooked, along with milk and cream, to create a gravy-like sauce (think béchamel). Apparently, this type of frosting was common during WWII since it uses significantly less butter and sugar. Pretty cool!

Josie, I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to meet your two new additions!

I knew I wanted a chocolate cheesecake base, but all the peppermint cheesecake recipes I found used white chocolate. I decided to take a chocolate cheesecake and adapt it to have the peppermint flavor I wanted. Since I’ve never made a chocolate cheesecake, I asked my blogging friends for a recipe recommendation. Annie texted me and told me that she had the perfect recipe for me to try. I made a few changes to it in order to achieve the chocolate peppermint cheesecake I had in mind. Obviously, the first change was to add a bit of peppermint extract. Since I wanted this to be a peppermint mocha cheesecake, I increased the amount of espresso powder so that the flavor would really come through. Lastly, I used peppermint filled Oreos to make the crust and omitted the sugar since I knew the cream filling was plenty sweet enough. Next time I make this, I’ll press the crumbs all the way up the sides of the springform instead of just halfway because I couldn’t get the crumbs at an even height, which made the outside of the cheesecake look pretty sloppy. It still tasted phenomenal, and I’m sure I was the only one that noticed the less than perfect crust. I considered making a bark-style topping for the cheesecake but ultimately decided against it for fear it would be a pain to cut through. Pieces of double layer peppermint bark pressed into the cheesecake after chilling ended up being a fantastic alternative. Cheesecakes are intimidating to a lot of people, but I promise you they are not that hard. This one doesn’t even require a water bath (and still came out crack free). If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert for your Christmas celebration, this is it.

This recipe is obviously one for chocolate lovers. It starts with a chocolate tart dough that comes together quickly in the food processor or by hand. After the tart shell is baked, it’s filled with a lusciously smooth chocolate and cream mixture (see, just like truffles). After some time in the fridge to set up, this tart is ready to eat. I changed things up a bit by using a different type of chocolate than I typically would in a recipe like this. Remember when I visited Monticello a few months ago? I watched a chocolate making demonstration and tasted a colonial-era chocolate recipe while I was there. (I wrote about some of the history of chocolate in colonial America in that post, so I won’t go into detail again here.) The flavor was so unique, different than the chocolate we’re used to today. I thought that the spices in that chocolate would fit well in a recipe like this, and I was right. Hints of the cinnamon and orange come through in this tart, giving it a little bit of winter warmth and making it perfect for this time of year.

Even though I can’t make a tart to send to each one of you, I do have a little surprise that you can use to make your own. The people at American Heritage Chocolate were generous enough to give me two chocolate packages to send to readers, so head on over to the giveaway page for your chance to win!

I’ve been in a baking mood lately. There’s something about fall that makes me want to get in the kitchen and bake something, even if it’s not necessarily a fall dessert. Now that Clara is mobile, though, it’s not as easy to dedicate a solid hour or two in the kitchen unless she’s napping. While that eliminates more involved desserts, cookies are still quite manageable. Cookie dough is a breeze to whip up, and you can be eating a sweet treat in next to no time (even before nap time is over).

These cookies have everything that I love packed into one dessert – espresso, chocolate and coconut. They’re like a cookie version of the coconut mocha frappuccinos I enjoyed so much over the summer. They’ve got that ideal cookie texture – thick and soft, with just the right amount of chewiness. Eric, who typically isn’t a fan of coconut, couldn’t get enough of these cookies. I used coconut flakes instead of shredded coconut, and I think that swap led to Eric enjoying these more than he would have otherwise (since it’s the stringy texture of coconut that turns him off from coconut desserts). This recipe calls for coconut extract, which gives these cookies an extra boost of coconut flavor. Even with a little girl who hasn’t been too keen on napping lately, I’ve always got time for a batch of homemade cookies.

Bundt cakes might not be the most glamorous, but don’t underestimate this one. It’s rich with chocolate and infused with espresso and a whole cup of bourbon. The cake isn’t overly sweet, and this isn’t one of those times the alcohol cooks out. Our kitchen smelled so good while this was baking that we could barely resist cutting a slice as soon as it came out of the oven. I can tell you with certainty that it’s better the day after baking, once the booze has had a chance to mellow out, but I won’t judge you if you want to indulge in a slice straight out of the oven. I’ve only made this with bourbon, but you could also give it a try with another type of whiskey. Either way, make sure you use something you’d be willing to drink. Because of the amount of it in the cake, don’t risk compromising the flavor with something subpar.

Given my previous dislike of s’mores, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these. Like I mentioned in my Big Summer Potluck recap, we were surrounded by delicious food the entire weekend. There was something addictive about these little bars, and Eric and I had more than our fair share of them. These are kicked up crispy treats with all the flavors of s’mores in a convenient little bar, no campfire needed. The graham crackers are baked in melted butter and sugar and then a layer of dark chocolate is spread over them. The chocolate binds the rice cereal to the crust, and extra marshmallows and chunks of chocolate add the finishing touch. If you’re looking for a simple dessert or after school snack, these are perfect. They’re just sweet enough to satisfy, and the recipes makes more than enough to share.

I made these cupcakes for my niece’s seventh birthday, and it was such a joy to have her helping me in the kitchen (Clara was sleeping soundly in the living room). There’s still a small chocolate fingerprint smudge on the wall near my mixer, and I think of Blair every time I see it. It makes me laugh to think of her watching me mix up the batter and then asking me approximately fifteen times when she could lick the bowl. She, and everyone else here, loved these cupcakes. How could they not? The chocolate cupcakes are rich and moist, and the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream on top is sweet and lusciously smooth. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing pumpkin treats popping up on your favorite food blogs. So I say savor summer while you can, and make sure you enjoy the late evening sun (and a cupcake) with someone you love. We’ve got plenty of time to celebrate fall later.

Homemade ice cream isn’t difficult, and this recipe is a great example of that. It has four ingredients, three of which I almost always have on hand. It’s been my experience in the past that ice creams as simple as this one don’t end up tasting as luxurious as their custard-based counterparts, but I’m happy to report I didn’t have that problem with this one. Eric loves the raspberry-chocolate combination the way I love strawberry and chocolate, so I knew this one would be a big hit with him. What I didn’t anticipate was how much I would like it. Don’t be deceived by the color of this ice cream. I know it looks one hundred percent chocolate, but the raspberry flavor really comes through. It’s reminiscent of a chocolate raspberry truffle – rich, creamy and decadent. Since I am one of those people that likes texture in my ice cream, I added some mini-chocolate chips. This is totally optional, but who’s going to complain over more chocolate? If you haven’t jumped on the homemade ice cream bandwagon, this is the perfect recipe to get you started.

I’ve had this torte on my to-make list for what seems like forever, but the right event just never seemed to pop up. I don’t necessarily need a reason to bake something, but making something like this for only Eric and I is dangerous. Can you imagine having this whole thing in the house, for you to get a piece of whenever you like? (Actually that sounds nice, but I really would have no self control around this torte.) Thankfully, our friend Dan gave us a reason to celebrate recently when he finished his master’s program. I found out from his girlfriend that he loves the chocolate peanut butter combo, and I knew right away that this would be my contribution to his graduation party. So thanks, Dan, for giving me a reason/excuse to finally make this.

Peanut butter and chocolate are good enough on their own and pretty unbeatable when they’re together. It’s a classic combination taken to the next level with this torte. It’s the definition of decadent – a thick Oreo crust surrounds a light and fluffy peanut butter mousse that’s studded with chocolate chips and peanuts. The whole thing is covered in dark, rich chocolate ganache and finished with even more peanuts. I mean seriously, how much more awesome could it get? This dessert is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and it definitely went over well with Dan’s party guests. Eric and I snuck a taste before the party, you know, just to make sure it was as delicious as it looked. ;) I had another (smaller) slice at the party because it was just that good. I tried to resist, but ultimately ended up giving in. Writing this post has made me crave this like you wouldn’t believe, so I may be making another one soon.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte
Makes 1 (9-inch) torte

Ingredients:
For the crust:
32 Oreo cookies, finely processed into crumbs
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt

For the crunch:
1/2 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg

For the filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural)
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

For the topping:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it on a baking sheet. Combine the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a medium bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all the crumbs, then press into the bottom and sides of the prepared springform pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

To make the crunch, combine the peanuts, chocolate chips, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it holds medium peaks. Beat in 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar and continue whipping until medium-firm peaks form. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate until needed. Wipe out the mixer bowl (no need to wash) and replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese and remaining 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the peanut butter, milk and peanuts and continue beating until combined.

Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in about 1/4 of the whipped cream just to lighten the mixture. Stir in the crunch, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse into the crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, making sure to cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse feels firm.

To finish the torte, place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan and pour over the chocolate. Allow to sit for about 2 minutes, then gently stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the ganache over the torte, using an offset spatula to smooth it. Sprinkle the peanuts over the top and chill for at least 20 minutes or until the ganache has set. Once the ganache is firm, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours via Annie’s Eats

Cookies are one of my favorite things to make on a whim. They’re simple and usually make a lot (this is both a good and bad thing). If I have a craving for something sweet, chances are I have everything I need to make a batch of cookies. I was searching for ideas for something to make for a neighbor that just had a baby when I remembered this recipe. I first tried it almost two years ago, but I had completely forgotten about it since then. I think the reason is because these cookies require an overnight chill before being baked. When I get the urge to bake cookies, that usually means I want to eat them as soon as they’re done baking. They don’t have the nearly instant gratification that comes with other cookie recipes. Thankfully I thought about this ahead of time, which gave me something to look forward to the next day.

These cookies are different than others I’ve made because they’re gluten free. The recipe uses finely ground almonds in place of flour. Being a lover of all things almond and almond flavored, that aspect appealed to me immediately. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think they’d also be great with ground hazelnuts. These cookies are incredibly rich and chocolaty, almost like a brownie. They only use five ingredients, and if your pantry is well stocked, you’ve probably got all of them on hand. I did increase the heat from the original recipe, finding the higher heat to yield a better cookie. I also made these slightly larger than the original recipe, and I think this size is perfect. Even though they require time to set up overnight, these cookies are well worth the wait.

Chewy Chocolate Almond Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cups granulated sugar, plus additional for rolling
3/4 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour

Directions:
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave. Once melted, add the butter and stir until thoroughly combined. Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl until light, 1-2 minutes. Gently fold the egg mixture into the chocolate, then fold in the ground almonds. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350º. Using a 1 tablespoon dough scoop, portion out dough balls and roll in sugar. Place on a lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until cookies are set. Cool on baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Note that you can make smaller or larger cookies, but you will need to adjust your baking time accordingly.

Source: Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Mother’s Day is pretty much synonymous with brunch, so it only seemed appropriate to share this recipe with you this week. Muffins are easy to make and go well with just about any type of breakfast/brunch foods. These muffins are slightly more involved than others, but the effort is well worth it. This is a standard muffin recipe enhanced by espresso and chocolate chips. Coffee and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations (right up there with strawberry and chocolate), so this recipe was a must-make for me as soon as I found it.

The recipe is made like a recipe for cupcakes, which gives these muffins a step up from standard recipes. Butter and sugar are creamed, then the wet and dry ingredients are added in alternating batches. The result is a muffin with a slightly crisp exterior and a tender interior. These are incredibly rich and offer a punch of espresso flavor that’s balanced by a healthy dose of semisweet chocolate chips. Served with a cup of coffee and some fresh fruit, this is my ideal breakfast. You should note that these are meant to be bakery style muffins, which means they bake up quite large. They’ve got that big, round, crusty top that makes bakery muffins so fantastic. This is great if it’s the only thing you’re having for breakfast, but you may want to make them smaller if they’ll be part of a breakfast or brunch spread. If you do make them smaller, make sure to reduce the baking time slightly to account for that change.

If you want to try other variations, simply replace the espresso and chocolate chips. You could use lemon zest, jam, seasonal fruit, peanut butter chips or pretty much anything your heart desires. If you’re feeling especially decadent, I think these would be great cut in half with a slather of Nutella on each piece. Too bad I didn’t think of that before they were all gone!

Still searching for ideas for Mother’s Day brunch? Here are a few of my favorites:
Stuffed Nutella French Toast with Strawberries
Lemon Ricotta Muffins
Chocolate Chip Scones

Espresso Chip Bakery-Style Muffins
Makes 12 large muffins

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 375º. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso powder and yogurt. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the yogurt and flour mixture in batches, starting and ending with the yogurt (3 additions of yogurt, 2 of flour). Mix only until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, using a dough/ice cream scoop if possible. The cups will be very full. Bake until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Invert onto a wire rack, stand upright and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

Source: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

In addition to these cookies, I also made chipotle cornbread and my favorite chocolate chip scones.

The first three weeks of her life, I was worried about all kinds of things – if kids will make fun of her when she goes to school, if she’ll be able to open a jar, if she’ll be angry with us when she grows up because of what we decide to do with her hand. Eric kept telling me we would do whatever was necessary to ensure that she has the best life possible, and that we would raise her to be strong and confident. There were even a few “her last name is Champion, so she already wins at everything” jokes in there. Because we wanted to enjoy every second with her, without people constantly asking what we were going to do about her thumb and without minimizing how great she was doing otherwise, we only told a couple family members at first. Out of those, my sister and brother-in-law were the only ones who knew about the seriousness of the situation. I also had friends to lean on, and they provided a source of strength that only they could. While Christa, Zack and my wonderful friends helped keep me strong, time in the kitchen helped keep me sane.

Our sweet, precious girl

That’s where this cake comes in. I’ve found myself doing quite a bit of late night baking the past several weeks. Nighttime, when things start settling down, is the time I most need a distraction. Since 10 pm isn’t really the best time to start something involved, I looked for simple treats that could be made with pantry staples. Eric had to make a late night run to the store the night I made the key lime pie bars, and he did it without hesitation because he knew just how much I needed to bake something. Thankfully, I had everything I needed the night I decided to make this cake. It’s simple in execution and can be eaten fairly soon after baking, a double win when baking late at night. It’s moist and luscious, with a rich chocolate flavor. The coffee acts as a way to intensify the chocolate flavor but can still be tasted in the background. This cake is exactly what the name says – a snack cake. It’s not fancy, but it is delicious and comforting. It doesn’t need frosting or a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s perfect as is and would be fantastic with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.

I know I’ve got plenty more late nights of baking ahead of me as Eric and I decide what to do about Clara’s hand. And I know that, in the future, there will be times that I stay up late to bake because I’m worried about her for silly reasons. As she sleeps peacefully in my lap, I realize there will even be times we bake together because she needs a distraction from something upsetting. I can promise, though, that it will never be because she’s upset about her hand. Eric was right – we are going to raise her to be strong and confident, and she’ll grow up knowing she can accomplish whatever she wants to. If she ever forgets that, we’ll be there (with something yummy, of course) to remind her.

I’m a sucker for breakfast foods. I know I’ve mentioned before how Eric and I often start our weekend mornings with a special breakfast (you know, something more involved than cereal or a smoothie). With less than two weeks until our little girl’s arrival and an ever-growing to-do list, this has sadly not been the case as of late. Instead of leisurely mornings, we jump right into our projects almost immediately after waking up. So when it snowed here Sunday night and Eric found out his office would have a delayed opening, I jumped at the chance to make us breakfast Monday morning. I was already planning to make some scones to freeze before the baby gets here, so I got to make us a delicious breakfast and cross something off my to-do list. Double win.

I’m a huge fan of scones, especially of the sweet variety. Eric loves any breakfast item that has chocolate chips in it, so I knew we’d both enjoy these. They’re actually not as sweet as you might think. The recipe only uses 1/4 cup of sugar, allowing the dark chocolate to really come through. These are rich in flavor, tender in texture and absolutely delicious. A liberal sprinkling of demerara sugar makes them look like they’re straight from a pastry case, and I know we’ll be happy to have such a nice breakfast treat when we’re sleep deprived new parents.

The recipe recommended using pastry flour for an ultra-tender texture, but I used a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat pastry flour with great success. You can certainly use only all-purpose if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

Chocolate Chip Scones
Makes about 18 2″ scones

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats
3/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips
Demerara (or other coarse) sugar, for topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, sugar and baking powder. Add the butter and work it with the tips of your fingers until the mixture is coarse and unevenly crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs and vanilla. Set aside 2 tablespoons, then add the wet ingredients, along with the chocolate chips, to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix until a moist dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a heavily floured work surface. Gently pat into an 8″ circle, taking care not to overwork the dough. Brush dough with reserved egg mixture, then sprinkle liberally with demerara. Dip a 2″ round cutter into flour, then cut as many scones as you can before reshaping the dough to cut the remainder. Evenly space scones on prepared baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.

To freeze, simply line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and place the unbaked scones on it. Freeze until the scones are firm, then transfer to an airtight container. Bake directly from the oven, adding a couple minutes to the original baking time.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m sure most of you have figured out your Valentine’s dessert plans, but I wanted to share this last-minute idea for those that haven’t. Dessert on Valentine’s doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. This dessert, which I purposefully saved for today, has only four ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes. This recipe is so simple that anyone (seriously, anyone) can throw it together. If it’s so easy and has so few ingredients, you must be questioning how it tastes. The answer? It’s awesome! You don’t need many ingredients when the ingredients are cream, Nutella, espresso and hazelnuts.

This recipe is what I like to refer to as cheater’s mousse. I’ve made cooked chocolate mousse before. In fact, it was my very first post way back in August 2008. At the time, this cheater’s mousse would’ve been a more appropriate dessert, skill-wise, for me to tackle. There’s obviously some irony that I’m posting this easy version now, when my skill level is so much higher. The reason I wanted to share it is because it tastes so darn good. It’s light and airy just like its more involved counterpart. The flavor is rich and chocolaty without being heavy, and the espresso adds just the right amount of coffee flavor. This is a dessert that won’t leave you feeling like you had too much to eat, which makes it perfect for ending a heavier dinner. Even if you don’t make this tonight, it’s a great recipe to have on hand when a chocolate craving strikes.

Nutella Mousse
Serves 2 generously

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 cup Nutella spread
Dash of Kahlua (optional)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Chopped toasted hazelnuts for topping

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve the espresso in the hot water. Whisk in Nutella and Kahlua if using. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until it just forms stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the Nutella mixture. Transfer to serving dishes, top with hazelnuts and serve immediately.

Adapted from Sweet Tooth

I wanted to make something extra special for Valentine’s Day, not really because of the holiday itself but more because I’ll take any excuse I can to make something I wouldn’t normally make. Such was the case with this cake. Chocolate mousse is one of my favorite desserts, so this cake was a no-brainer for me. Plus, Valentine’s seemed like an appropriate time to make something consisting of three layers of chocolate. Since I’m pregnant, I figure it’s okay to tell you that I licked the whisks and spatulas several times while preparing this (for those I’m sharing it with – don’t worry, I washed them each time). :)

This cake, upon first glance, seems incredibly involved. When you break down each step, though, it’s really not that difficult. The most annoying part for me was having to wash my stand mixer’s bowl between steps. This dessert starts out with a flourless chocolate cake base. Next comes a layer of chocolate mousse, followed by a layer of white chocolate mousse. The texture of this cake is unbeatable. You’ve got an incredible combination of rich, dense cake, light and airy mousse layers and a crisp bite from the chocolate curls. This cake is the epitome of decadence. It was a struggle not to eat the entire piece when I was done photographing it. If you’re looking to make something special for your valentine, look no further.

One thing I didn’t do that I wish I had done was to dip the knife in hot water before slicing this. I was so excited and didn’t think about it until it was too late. I definitely recommend using that method if you don’t have any cheese wire to use. Your slices will come out looking much neater and smoother if you cut with a hot knife.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients:
For the bottom layer:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch cream of tartar
Pinch salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

For the middle layer:
5 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the top layer:
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for decorating, optional

To prepare the bottom layer, preheat oven to 325º. Grease a 9- or 9 1/2-inch springform pan. Combine butter, chocolate and espresso in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla and set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add half of sugar and continue whipping until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining sugar, increase speed to high, and whip until soft peaks form, 1 additional minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Using a whisk, fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, carefully transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula. Bake cake until it has risen, is firm around the edges and just set in the center (cake center should spring back when gently pressed with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Do not remove cake from pan.

While cake is cooling, prepare middle layer. Combine the hot water and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1-3 minutes. (It helps to chill the mixing bowl before whipping the cream.) Whisk cocoa mixture into chocolate. Using a whisk, fold one-third of the cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining cream using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, spoon mousse onto cooled cake. Smooth top with spatula and gently tap on counter to release any air bubbles. Wipe inside edge of pan with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any drips. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer.

To prepare the top layer, sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 1/2 cup of cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until completely dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken slightly during this time).

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip remaining cup of cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Using a whisk, fold one-third of cream into white chocolate to lighten it. Fold in remaining cream using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, spoon white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth top with a rubber spatula. Return to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2 1/2 hours. Cake can be refrigerated up to 1 day. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes before slicing.

To serve, garnish cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa if desired. Run a thin knife between the cake and sides of pan. Remove sides and run the cleaned knife along the outside to smooth. Cut using cheese wire or a hot knife, cleaning and drying between each cut.

Source: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

Now that the Super Bowl is over, I’m ready to share a few Valentine’s Day goodies with all of you. I know that not everyone celebrates it, many saying it’s just a consumer driven holiday, etc. I thought the same thing until I realized that Valentine’s Day can be more than just a romantic holiday when you make it about all the people you love. If I were closer to my family, I can promise you I’d make them something special. Since I’m not, and since Eric and I are expecting a little one in less than a month (eek!), I decided to make the best of this holiday by making some seriously delicious treats that I’ll be sharing throughout the week.

This French toast is obviously meant to be a breakfast item, but it could easily double as a dessert. It’s blissfully decadent with soft challah bread, rich Nutella and sweet strawberries. Also, chocolate for breakfast is always a major win in my book. This recipe was inspired by one I saved last year for strawberry stuffed French toast. I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate chocolate since the combination of it and strawberry is one of my favorites. Using Nutella was a natural progression, and that’s how this French toast came to be. Instead of stuffing the challah with strawberries, I decided to macerate them to use as a topping. It was perfect. This French toast isn’t plagued by problems of other recipes I’ve tried. It doesn’t get soggy or overly eggy. Instead, the exterior gets golden and crisp while the interior remains soft. Whether I’m stuffing it or not, this method of making French toast will be my go-to from now on. I want to tell you to plan ahead so that you can make this for someone special on Valentine’s Day, but it’s so amazing that it would feel wrong to tell you to wait that long. If you can, I promise this breakfast will be worth it.

Nutella Stuffed French Toast with Strawberries
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 teaspoons sugar
Juice of half a lemon
4 thick slices (1 1/2 to 2-inches) bread, such as challah or soft Italian bread
About 1/2 cup Nutella
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Unsalted butter
Powdered sugar for serving

Directions:
Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to coat and set aside to macerate at room temperature.

Cut a pocket into each slice of bread, taking care not to cut all the way through. Fill each slice of bread with about two tablespoons of Nutella (I totally eyeballed this part, so this is just an estimate). Heat a large skillet over medium heat. In a shallow dish or pie plate, whisk together the egg and milk. Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and whisk until smooth. Working with one or two pieces at a time, place the filled slices into the egg mixture. Soak for 30 to 40 seconds per side, allow excess to drip off and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining slices.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the heated skillet and swirl to coat. Add the slices in a single layer, taking care not to crowd the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until light golden brown. Flip and continue cooking an additional 1-2 minutes. Add more butter as needed and repeat with remaining slices. Transfer to a plate, dust with powdered sugar, then top with macerated strawberries. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Since moving into our house in December, Eric and I have had a few visits from neighbors. Seeing as how this is our first house, this is not something we’re used to. One neighbor brought us a plate of amazing snickerdoodles and another invited us to dinner. To say we lucked out with our neighborhood would be an understatement. Sadly, we’ve been so busy that we haven’t had much time to introduce ourselves, and we had to turn down that dinner invitation because we were painting Baby C’s nursery that day. I thought it would be nice to bake something as a way to say thanks to the people we’ve met and as a way to introduce ourselves to the people we haven’t. I wasn’t sure what to bake, but decided on this recipe immediately upon seeing it.

Here I am visiting Baked in Brooklyn almost exactly two years ago.

Brownies are one of those desserts that people have pretty strong opinions about. Cakey or fudgy? With nuts or without? Before trying these, I was firmly in the cakey with nuts crowd. However, you can now consider me a convert. Hands down, these are the best brownies I’ve ever had in my life. I finally understand why people like those fudgy brownies. I guess I just had to find the right brownie to convince me. These brownies are intensely chocolatey, so it’s important that you use the best quality chocolate you can. I used two different chocolates that I had been holding onto since November because no recipe seemed worthy of them, but this recipe certainly was. The brownies are rich, dense and so insanely delicious. The espresso helps intensify the flavor of the chocolate, but you can actually get a slight hint of it while eating the brownie. I could continue talking about how amazing these are, but I’ll try to show some self-restraint and simply tell you to make these brownies soon.

The Baked Brownie
Makes 24 brownies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º and butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan. Whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the chocolate, butter and espresso powder in a large bowl and set over a pot of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Turn off heat, but keep the bowl over the water. Whisk in the sugars until completely combined, then remove bowl from the pot. If the mixture isn’t room temperature at this point, allow it to cool slightly until it reaches room temperature.

Whisk 3 eggs into the chocolate mixture, taking care not to overbeat them. Whisk in the remaining 2 eggs, then stir in the vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, gradually fold in the flour until just incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool, then cut into squares and serve. Brownies can be kept, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days (like they’ll last that long).

Source: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

My friend Amy is expecting a baby girl early next year, and I was thrilled when I was asked to participate in her virtual shower. I’m so excited to be able to take part in it, especially since Amy and I are due close together and are both having girls. If you don’t know Amy, she is a professional opera singer (and her blog name, Sing for Your Supper, comes from a musical). So when Kelsey, our lovely hostess, asked what I’d be making, it only took me a second to decide on opera cake. It’s a dessert I’ve wanted to make for quite some time, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting occasion.

The first and only opera cake I had prior to making this one came from the freezer section at Trader Joe’s. I was hooked as soon as a tried it, so it was only a matter of time before I decided to make one myself. Eric described this cake as “French tiramisu,” and I think that’s an accurate description. This dessert is made up of a three layers of almond sponge cake that have been moistened with an espresso syrup. Atop the first layer of cake is an espresso infused Italian meringue buttercream, and chocolate ganache is sandwiched between the second and third layers. The whole cake is topped with chocolate glaze. Once the glaze sets, the edges of the cake are removed to display its beautiful layers. This cake is a chocolate and coffee lover’s dream. It’s decadent in flavor but light in texture. I didn’t hesitate to eat the piece from this photo as soon as I was done shooting it.

Though this dessert does take quite a while to make, it’s easily broken down into steps. Each component of the cake can be made in advance, as can the cake itself. It’s a ten inch cake, and the recipe cannot be reduced. If you need less, simply make the full recipe, then cut it into smaller cakes to freeze. It can be kept in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to a month and defrosted in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Make sure to check out Amy’s and Kelsey’s blogs for the full roundup of all the sweet shower recipes.

Opera Cake
Makes one 10-inch cake

Ingredients:
For the cake:
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups ground blanched almonds
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
6 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled briefly, plus additional for pan prep

For the espresso syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso

For the coffee buttercream:
2 tablespoons instant espresso
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 large whole egg
1 large egg yolk
1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the chocolate ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the chocolate glaze:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Directions:
Start by making the cake. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line two 12 1/2x 15 1/2-inch jelly roll pans with parchment and brush with melted butter. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating until the peaks are stiff and glossy. Gently scrape into a medium bowl and set aside.

Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Beat the ground almonds, confectioners sugar and whole eggs on medium speed until light and airy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour, mixing just until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the meringue, then the melted butter. Divide the batter evenly among the two pans (I think it was about 600 grams of batter per pan) and spread to cover the entire surface.

Bake cakes for 5 to 7 minutes, until light brown and springy to the touch. Place a sheet of parchment over each pan, then carefully turn the cakes over to unmold. Carefully peel off the layer of parchment on the bottom, turn it over and use it to cover the cakes. Let cool to room temperature. Cakes can be made up to 1 day in advance, cooled, wrapped and stored at room temperature.

While the cakes are cooling, prepare the espresso syrup by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

To make the buttercream, dissolve the espresso in the boiling water and set aside. Beat the egg and egg yolk on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until pale and foamy. Bring the sugar, water and vanilla bean paste to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir only until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 255ºF. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the syrup. Don’t be concerned if some of it sticks to the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and continue beating until the eggs are thick, satiny and room temperature, about 5 minutes.

With the mixer on medium speed, steadily add the butter in 2-tablespoon increments. Once all the butter has been added, increase speed to high and beat until the buttercream has thickened slightly. Beat in the dissolved espresso. Chill, stirring frequently, until the buttercream is firm enough to be spread, at least 30 minutes. If making ahead of time, the buttercream can be refrigerated for 4 days or frozen up to a month. Bring to room temperature before using and beat to smooth it.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the milk and cream to a boil, then pour over the chocolate. Wait 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue stirring until the ganache is smooth. Refrigerate, stirring every 5 minutes, until the ganache thickens to a spreadable consistency, about 20 minutes. The ganache can be refrigerated 3 days or frozen up to a month. Bring to room temperature before using.

To assemble the cake, line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Working with one cake a time, cut each cake into one 10×10-inch square and one 10×5-inch rectangle. Place one square of cake on the parchment and use a pastry brush to moisten with the espresso syrup. Spread about 3/4 of the buttercream onto the cake, making sure to spread evenly. If the buttercream is too soft, you can freeze the cake for about 10 minutes before proceeding. Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten with the syrup and top with ganache, making sure to spread it in an even layer. Top with the remaining cake layer, moisten, then freeze for 10 minutes. Top with a thin layer of buttercream. This is just to smooth the top and prepare it for the glaze, so less is more here. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6. If you’re in a hurry, you can freeze the cake for 20 minutes before continuing.

When you’re ready to glaze the cake, bring the butter to boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and skim off the top foam to clarify the butter. Pour the clear yellow butter into a small bowl and discard any milky residue. Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water, then stir in the clarified butter. Lift the chilled cake off the parchment lined pan and place on a rack set atop the parchment lined pan. Pour the glaze over the cake, using a long offset spatula to help smooth it evenly across the top. Though messy, I would recommend transferring the cake to a cake stand or serving dish now, so that the set glaze doesn’t crack when you lift the cake later on. Refrigerate until glaze is set and cake is chilled. Use a long, thin knife that has been dipped in very hot water and wiped dry to cut the sides of the cake, removing any drips from the glaze and exposing the layers. A hot knife works best to slice this cake, which should be served slightly chilled.

Source: As seen on The Splendid Table, originally from Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City’s Best Pastry Shops

I know this may come as a shock to some of you, but I’m going to put it out there anyway. There was once a time in my life that I didn’t like brownies. Actually, I wasn’t that fond of chocolate at all. The Easter Bunny would always bring me a white chocolate rabbit, and I turned down many slices of chocolate frosted birthday cake. Even now, I don’t really enjoy making chocolate frosting at work and always manage to inhale cocoa powder when doing so. If I had to pick a favorite dessert, it would most definitely be ice cream. Brownies have grown on me, though, and I couldn’t resist the urge to bake a batch of these soon after saving the recipe. While I haven’t always liked chocolate desserts, their appeal to me has increased steadily over the years. And now that I’ve tried these brownies, I find it difficult to imagine how it was possible that I once disliked such a delicious dessert.

These brownies are, without a doubt, one of the most decadent desserts I’ve ever made. They’re rich, gooey, fudgey, chocolaty and insanely satisfying. I’m one of the people that loves added texture in my brownies, so the pecans and chocolate chips are perfect for me. I think even those of you in the “brownies shouldn’t have mix-ins” camp will still appreciate these brownies. Because while they’ve got extra stuff in them, they’re still in your face with chocolaty goodness. On top of that, you’ve got an amazing sweet and melty caramel sauce that swirls into the brownies. If that doesn’t sell you, well, you should know I added salt to my caramel sauce. And not just any salt, some really fantastic fleur de sel. Salt+caramel+chocolate = deliciousness.

I made a few changes to the recipe. Taking Shawnda’s advice, I reduce the batter amount by half. I work at a cupcake shop and do not need more sweets than I already have. I used this caramel sauce and substituted 3/4 teaspoon of fleur de sel for the 1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt. I cooked the caramel to the soft ball stage, which is about 235ºF. You can certainly use caramel candies like the original recipe calls for, but I have to say I think the salted caramel really adds something special. Instead of baking the bottom layer, then adding the caramel and top layer and baking again, I baked everything at once. I found this method to be much easier, but I will warn you that it is a little difficult to tell when the brownies are done.

Salted Caramel Brownies
Makes 12 to 16

Ingredients:
3/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º. Place the pecans on a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 7 minutes. Coarsely chop and set aside. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving several inches overhang on the sides. Grease the foil with butter or cooking spray and set aside.

Place the bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla and continue whisking until glossy and thick, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and salt and mix until just blended. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Stir half of the chopped pecans into your prepared caramel sauce (if you use store-bought, you may have to heat it up slightly before doing this). Drop the caramel pecan mixture by spoonfuls onto the brownie batter. Gently swirl with a wooden skewer or thin metal spatula. Scatter the remaining pecans and chocolate chips on top. Bake for about 35 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and allow brownies to cool completely in the pan. Grab the foil overhang to lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve. Extra brownies (if there are any!) can be kept in an airtight container up to a week and will stay even fresher if wrapped individually in plastic wrap.

Heavily adapted from The Powdered Plum, first seen on Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Last year, Eric and I went to New York City for the first time. While we were there, we ate at Serendipity 3 and had the most amazing meal. I still think about the meatloaf and mashed potatoes we ate, but the frozen hot chocolate was the most memorable item we had that night. It was unlike any dessert I’ve ever tried. While it was definitely large enough for each of us to have a generous serving, I’m pretty sure I could have downed the entire thing on my own. Seriously.

Shortly after returning from our trip, I tried unsuccessfully to replicate this delicious dessert. Unfortunately, most of the recipes I found called for store-bought hot chocolate mix, which didn’t yield the drink I remembered. I was thrilled when I found a recipe that actually called for making a mix with real chocolate and cocoa powder before turning it into frozen hot chocolate. I used a blend of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, but I think semisweet on its own would work just fine. The flavor of this will greatly depend on the quality of chocolate you use, and I recommend using the best chocolate you can find. I was afraid the ice would diminish the flavor of the chocolate, but this drink, despite being icy, is actually quite rich. Although I can’t remember exactly how the one I had tasted, I feel like this one is pretty close. And hey, since I can’t go to New York to have one whenever I want, this is a pretty good alternative. I think Serendipity has a couple varieties of this drink, and I can’t wait to try making it again with mint or peanut butter!

Since it’s Valentine’s Day, I want to spread a little love in the form of a $25 gift card to Bake it Pretty. They have adorable straws that would be perfect for drinking this frozen hot chocolate, and I especially love their sprinkles and cupcake liners. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me about the most memorable dessert you’ve ever had. The Rules: One entry per person, U.S. residents only. The giveaway will close on Tuesday, February 15 at 11:59 pm, EST. Please make sure to leave a valid email address so that I can contact you if you win. One winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Friday. I can’t wait to read your responses! Good luck and happy Valentine’s Day from me to you!

Frozen Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
4 1/2 ounces chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
freshly whipped cream and grated chocolate for serving, optional

Directions:
Combine butter, cocoa powder and sugar in a small bowl set over a small pot of simmering water. Whisk until a paste forms. Add chocolate and continue whisking until chocolate melted completely. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of milk. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Once chocolate mixture has cooled, combine it with ice and remaining 1 cup of milk in a blender. Blend until ice is crushed and mixture is thoroughly blended. Do not over blend, as the texture should be somewhat icy. Top with whipped cream and grated chocolate, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 generous servings

Heavily adapted from La Belle Cuisine

Fondue is, without a doubt, one of my favorite things. There’s just something satisfying about dipping bread or fruit into a pot of melted cheese or chocolate. Fondue is versatile in that it can go from being a fun party food to a romantic dessert, all depending on the setting. I couldn’t share my favorite Valentine’s Day recipes and not share one for chocolate fondue, which, to me, is the quintessential Valentine’s dessert.

Chocolate fondue is incredibly simple to make. All you have to do is melt the chocolate and cream together the same way you would to make ganache. Once the chocolate is melted, add in your choice of liqueur and you’re set. It takes more time to prep the things to dip in it than it does to make the fondue. Don’t have a fondue pot? No problem. After melting the chocolate, you can simply pour it into a dish and serve immediately. The fondue pot will keep the chocolate melted, of course, but this fondue is so delicious that I can’t imagine it thickening before you’re able to finish eating it. This fondue is intensely chocolaty, and you can add different flavors to it by using different liqueurs. Like I mentioned yesterday, I can’t resist the combination of coffee and chocolate, so it should come as no surprise that I add either Kahlua or Starbuck’s Coffee Liqueur to my fondue. I bet this would also taste amazing with Grand Marnier. It’s really up to you. Regardless of which liqueur you decide to use, this fondue will make an elegant, romantic and luscious dessert.

Chocolate Fondue for Two
Ingredients:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or broken into chunks
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons liqueur
Fruit, pound cake, cheesecake, etc., for dipping

Directions:
Combine chocolate and cream in a medium bowl. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat, then reduce heat to low. Set the bowl of chocolate over the pot of barely simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. Stir frequently until all the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir in liqueur.

Transfer the chocolate to a fondue pot and keep warm over low heat or a low flame. Alternately, transfer to a small serving bowl. Serve immediately with fruit and other items for dipping.

Adapted from The Everything Fondue Cookbook by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite Valentine’s Day recipes with you this week. For me, Valentine’s Day is about celebrating everyone you love, not just your significant other. Though I’m not really a fan of gifts on Valentine’s Day, I am all for a day that encourages you to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. In my opinion, cooking a delicious meal is a great way to show someone how much you care, and I hope the recipes this week will inspire you to make something special for someone you love. :)

First up is the cover recipe from February’s Bon Appétit. As soon as I received this issue in the mail, I knew I had to try this recipe. I’ve never been a huge fan of brownies, but these called to me. Browned butter and walnuts? Yes, please! These brownies are fudgy on the inside, chewy on the outside, and perfectly moist. The browned butter is the most unique aspect of this recipe, and it adds a slightly nutty flavor to these. I love the walnuts and the crunch they add to each bite, and I bet macadamia nuts or pecans would be fabulous in these, as well. The brownies aren’t nearly as sweet as some varieties I’ve had, and I prefer them that way because the chocolate comes through so much more. These are rich and decadent, way different than the cake-like brownies I typically make. The only change I will make next time is to add espresso powder because I just love espresso and chocolate together. The recipe called for baking the brownies for 25 minutes, but mine were substantially underdone after that amount of time, and I actually had to bake them about 10 minutes longer. I have reflected these changes in the recipe.

Browned Butter and Walnut Brownies
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces

Directions:
Position oven rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325º. Line an 8- by 8-inch metal baking pan with foil. Press foil firmly against the sides of the pan and leave a 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray and set pan aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring often, until butter has stopped foaming and has turned a light brown color. Remove from heat and immediately add sugar, cocoa, vanilla, water, espresso powder (if using) and salt. Stir until combined and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs to chocolate mixture one at a time, whisking well after each addition. When mixture is thick and shiny, add flour and whisk until blended. Continue whisking vigorously for 60 strokes. Stir in nuts and pour batter into pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely in pan set on a wire rack. Using the foil, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 16 pieces. Serve immediately or store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days.

Adapted from Bon Appétit, February 2011

I seem to be on a cookie kick lately. Last week, it was Nutella Sandwich Cookies. This week, it’s these. I made these cookies for my aunt and little brother because they both had birthdays last week. In an ideal world, I would be able to make them a cake, but that’s not really feasible since we live 10 hours away. I still wanted to send them something special, though. And hey, who doesn’t like getting cookies in the mail (even if they are a week late)? I kept some here for Eric and myself, too, and I’m really hoping he takes the rest of them to his office tomorrow because I cannot stop eating them.

These cookies turned out even better than I imagined. I loved the way some of the buttery toffee bits melted into the cookies. Add some warm and gooey chocolate chips to that, and you’ve got a winner. The only change I made to this recipe was to omit the almond paste. My aunt isn’t a fan of nuts, so I figured it was best to leave that out. I love almonds, and I’ll be using the almond paste next time I make these. At the rate they disappeared, I’m sure next time will be sooner rather than later.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped toffee (homemade or store bought)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in toffee pieces and chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop, place dough onto prepared pan, spacing about an inch or so apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies (I got 4 dozen using my 2 tablespoon scoop.)

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Eric and I adore Nutella. We always seem to have a jar of it in the house, though it never lasts very long. I was in the mood to bake cookies the other day and started flipping through an old Christmas cookie magazine. As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it immediately. Sometimes recipes just strike me like that, and I know I’ll keep thinking about them if I don’t make them soon. I’m so glad I gave in to my urge to bake these cookies because they are delicious and insanely addictive.

On their own, the cookies taste fantastic. They’re soft, rich, buttery and a little nutty from the ground hazelnuts. I had a couple of them before I even added the Nutella, and I could have eaten several more. Once the Nutella is spread on, though, these cookies turn into little bites of utter bliss. I dare you to try eating just one. I don’t think it’s possible. The good news is that these are small cookies, which makes it perfectly acceptable to have more than one. Right? ;) The cookies are simple enough to make, but the dough does require one hour of chilling time before the cookies can be cut and baked. Once they’re cooled, you simply spread on the Nutella, sandwich two cookies together and enjoy. I’m not a big cookie person, but I absolutely loved these. I can say with certainty that they’ll be making an appearance again soon (because cookies this delicious don’t last long).

Nutella Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients:
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (2/3 cup) butter, softened
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
3/4 cup Nutella

Directions:
Combine hazelnuts and 1/2 cup of flour in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, then add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the baking powder. Process with quick on/off pulses to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add hazelnut-flour mixture and beat on low speed until dough is combined and smooth. Divide dough into four portions. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate for at least one hour or until dough is firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into 1/2-inch thick slices (16 cookies per roll). Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes on the center rack, until the cookies are just barely golden around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, spread about 1 teaspoon of Nutella on the bottom of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, bottom side down, and press gently together.

To store, place unassembled cookies in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw, if frozen, and assemble as needed.

Makes 32 sandwiches

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies, 2008

Our visit to Wizarding World happened to fall on Eric’s birthday. Since I wasn’t able to make him a cake to celebrate, we decided we’d get something sweet inside the park. Our first stop was Honeyduke’s Sweetshop, where we picked up a cauldron cake to share. It was an incredibly delicious chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate mousse, and it even had a cute little chocolate handle. That, along with frozen butterbeer, was our breakfast. Hey, when in Rome… ;)

Cauldron cakes were number two on my list of things from Wizarding World to recreate. Although I’ve seen many versions, many with candy and licorice, I wanted to stick with what I had at Wizarding World. After all, I’m not one to mess with something that tasty. I’m so happy that, flavor wise, these were spot on. The cupcakes are intensely chocolate, with both Dutch-process cocoa and bittersweet chocolate. Once you fill them with the light and fluffy mousse, you’ve got a seriously chocolatly dessert that anyone is sure to love.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Place oven rack in lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a 12 cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, combine butter, chocolate and cocoa. Set over a small saucepan with simmering water and heat until melted. Remove from heat and whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs. Add sugar, vanilla and salt and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add cooled chocolate mixture and continue mixing until chocolate is incorporated. Sift in one-third of the flour mixture and continue mixing, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed. Mix in sour cream, then sift in remaining flour mixture. Continue mixing and scraping the bowl until everything is combined. The batter will be thick. Divide batter evenly into muffin pan cups and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, March 2005

Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 tablespoons hot water
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder and water; set aside. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Set over a small saucepan with simmering water, stirring until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar and salt at medium speed until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Whisk the cocoa mixture into the chocolate until smooth. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Using a rubber spatula, fold in remaining cream until combined and no white streaks remain.

Yield: about 3 cups

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, November 2009

To make cauldron cakes:
Place a sheet of wax paper on a small cutting board or flat plate. Set aside. Remove centers of cupcakes using the cone method. Melt about 6 ounces of chocolate in a shallow bowl. Dip the tops of the cupcakes and set aside. Place remaining chocolate in a piping bag. Pipe cauldron handles onto wax paper and place in freezer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pipe or spoon mousse into cupcakes. Once the chocolate handles are cooled completely, remove from wax paper and place on top of each cupcake.

When Eric and I moved to Virginia in January, we were so happy to be only an hour away from a set of friends from Alabama.  Then, two more sets of friends from Alabama ended up moving to DC.  Since Virginia is the fourth state we’ve lived in, we considered ourselves especially lucky to have so many friends  living in the area.  Our friend Andrew’s birthday is five days after mine, and this year we actually got to celebrate both our birthdays together.  There’s no fun in being a decent baker if you can’t make birthday cakes for your friends, so I was quite happy to make this cake for him.  I can’t wait to make more birthday cakes for my other friends here!

Chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite combinations.  It’s right up there with goat cheese and caramelized onions.  This dessert, combining moist chocolate cake with rich and creamy peanut butter icing, is perfect.  Add in some chopped Reese’s Cups, and this cake is truly decadent.  The recipe says it makes eight servings, but the cake can easily be cut into smaller-sized servings.

Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
For the icing:
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups creamy peanut butter
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
miniature Reese’s cups, halved and/or chopped

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350º.
-Butter two 9×2 round cake pans.  Sprinkle flour on the inside, tap out excess and line bottom with parchment paper.
-Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
-Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
-Add sugar and continue beating for about 2 minutes, until it is thoroughly blended into the butter.
-Add eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.  If needed, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
-Beat in vanilla.
-Reduce speed to low and alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk, with the dry ingredients in 3 portion and the buttermilk in 2, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
-Mix only until just blended into the batter.  Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl.
-Divide batter evenly between two pans and bake for 26 to 30 minutes, until the cakes feel springy to the touch.
-Allow cakes to cool in pans on rack for about 5 minutes, then remove from pans and allow to cool to room temperature.  At this point, cake layers can be wrapped airtight and left at room temperature overnight or frozen up to 2 months.
-While cake is cooling, make icing by combining confectioner’s sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
-Beat on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
-Add the cream, and beat on high speed until smooth.
-Freeze the Reese’s Cups while filling and frosting the cake, then chop/halve them as desired.

My favorite thing about making this cake was that I got to use my new kitchen scale.  Weighing provides more accurate measurements and can really come in handy when precision is key.  In this case, it also saved me the time of converting the recipe.

Having never made or eaten sponge cake before, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I was very happy with the results – a light, airy cake.  Sponge cakes get all this airiness from beating the eggs and sugar until the eggs have quadrupled in volume.  The rest of the ingredients are then gently folded in.  For this cake, the recipe called for sifting the dry ingredients three times, which incorporated even more air into the cake.

With such a delicate cake, the whipped cream filling was perfect.  Nothing more than heavy cream, powdered sugar and strawberries, it provided the perfect complement to this cake.  I decided to add sliced strawberries in between the top two layers, just to give a little bit of extra strawberry flavor and texture.  The cake tastes fabulous, with all the components working together harmoniously.

Chocolate Sponge Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream Filling
Ingredients:
For the sponge cake:
75 grams sugar
3 eggs
75 grams, minus 3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
200 milliliters (about 6 3/4 ounces) heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (increase if strawberries are very tart)
100 grams strawberries, chopped
For the ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 350º.  (The original recipe called for 180 Celsius, so I baked mine on the equivalent, which is 356º.)
-Butter and flour (or line with parchment) two 6 inch pans.
-Sift the dry ingredients three times and set aside.
-In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until quadrupled in size and thick ribbons fall from the beater, about 10 minutes.
-Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
-Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time, using figure eight movements so the air does not escape.
-Pour batter into prepared pans and bake about 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then cool completely on a cooling rack.
-To make the filling, add heavy cream and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Gradually increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
-Fold in the chopped strawberries.
-To make the ganache, place chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and set aside.
-Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until simmering.  Immediately pour over chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Whisk by hand until all the chocolate is melted.

Source:  Adapted from Passionate About Baking

This ice cream is incredibly easy to make because it doesn’t require first making a custard. You simply puree a few ingredients in the food processor, chill, freeze and voila. You’re left with pure, creamy peanut butter bliss. Add chocolate covered peanuts for crunch, and then try waiting for your ice cream to harden before digging in. I promise it won’t be easy, which is why I’m happy I like soft serve.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients:
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 2/3 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Chocolate Covered Peanuts (recipe follows)

Directions:
-Puree the peanut butter, sugar, half and half, vanilla and salt in a food processor until smooth.
-Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, make the chocolate covered peanuts.
-Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
-Once churning is complete, stir in chocolate covered peanuts.

Chocolate Covered Peanuts
Ingredients:
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts

Directions:
-Line a plate with plastic wrap and set aside.
-Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth.
-Remove chocolate from heat and stir in peanuts, coating them completely.
-Spread the mixture on the plastic-lined plate and chill until hardened.

Source: Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, as seen on Dinner and Dessert

It’s important to use high quality chocolate in this recipe – 62% cacao or higher if you can find it. Since chocolate and cream are the only ingredients in basic truffles, using high quality ingredients will definitely give you a better end product.

I made my truffles from leftover ganache that I made to fill a cake. Now I always hope I have leftover ganache just so I can make truffles.

Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
Extracts or liqueurs of your choice (Kahlua and Grand Marnier are my favorites.)
Coatings of your choice (I love almonds and cocoa powder.)

Directions:
-Place the chocolate in a bowl and set aside.
-Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it starts to boil.
-Once boiling, immediately remove the cream from the heat and pour over chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for two minutes. If you are adding liqueurs or other flavors, now is the time to do so.
-Gently stir the mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely melted.
-Allow the ganache to sit until it comes to room temperature and then refrigerate for two hours.
-Prepare a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper.
-Using a teaspoon, remove ganache and place on baking sheet. (I find it easier to remove all the teaspoons of ganache before I begin rolling, which can be a messy process.)
-Using your hands, quickly roll the ganache into balls. The chocolate will begin to melt on your hands, so don’t worry if you don’t get a perfectly round shape.
-Place back onto baking sheet and continue until all truffles are formed. Refrigerate overnight.
-Roll in desired coatings and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Chocolate Ganache recipe adapted The Confetti Cakes Cookbook

Almond Joy Cupcakes
For chocolate cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
-Preheat oven 350F.
-Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
-Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. -In another medium bowl with an electric mixer on high, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
-Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Beat in the melted chocolate.
-Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating until blended.
-Stir in vanilla.
-Fill the cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full.
-Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17-20 minutes. -Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For coconut cream cheese filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
-Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
-Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream.
-Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract.
-Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable.
-Add additional confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin. -Fold in the shredded coconut.

For chocolate ganache:
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
-In saucepan bring whipping cream to boil over high heat.
-Pour hot whipping cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melted.
-You can add more cream if your ganache is too thick to spread.

To assemble the cupcakes:
-Remove center of cupcake using the cone method.
-Set cone aside.
-Trim the excess tip of the cone.
-Fill the cupcake with coconut cream cheese.
-Replace cone.
-Frost with ganache and garnish with almond.

Source: Hello, Cupcake! and I Heart Cuppycakes

I don’t even know that I can put into words how amazing these cupcakes tasted. Everyone in the family was raving about them. The cupcake is rich and moist, all that a perfect cupcake should be. The ganache filling was amazing (we ate the leftover right out of the bowl, if that tells you anything). The Bailey’s gave the icing the perfect amount of flavor (and that’s coming from someone that doesn’t really like buttercream). Put those things together, and you get the most rich and decadent cupcake. I will warn you, though, that you should have a glass of milk or water close by when eating these.

Chocolate, Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (optional)
Baileys Frosting:
3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons Baileys (or milk, or heavy cream, or a combination thereof)

Directions:
Make the cupcakes:
-Preheat oven to 350°F and line 24 cupcake cups with liners.
-In a large, heavy saucepan, bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
-Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend.
-Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl.
-Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on low speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
-Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the filling:
-Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate.
-Allow the chocolate to sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.)
-Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.
Fill the cupcakes:
-Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes). Meanwhile, remove the centers from the cooled cupcakes.
-Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.
Make the frosting:
-In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.
-When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys (or milk) and whip it until combined.
-Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

Do ahead: You can bake the cupcakes a week or two in advance and store them, well wrapped, in the freezer. You can also fill them before you freeze them. They also keep filled — or filled and frosted — in the fridge for a day. (Longer, they will start to get stale.)

Source:  Smitten Kitchen

Directions:
-Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Butter bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, and line with parchment cut to fit.
-Melt butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
-With a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes.
-Add espresso and salt, and beat for 1 minute.
-Add vanilla and chocolate mixture, and beat for 1 minute.
-In a clean bowl and with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites until foamy.
-Slowly add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
-Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions.
-Pour batter into prepared pan.
-Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes.
-Let cool completely in pan on a rack.
-Remove pan sides. Carefully lift cake with a spatula, and remove parchment.
-Make the glaze: Place chocolate, butter, and vanilla in a bowl.
-Bring remaining ingredients to a boil, stirring, and pour over chocolate mixture.
-Whisk until smooth.
-Serve glaze warm with cake.

Serves 8
Source: Martha Stewart Living

Saltine Toffee Candy
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
saltines – enough to line your baking sheet
1-2 cups semi chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds and pecans.)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400°.
-Line your baking sheet with foil.
-Neatly place your saltines on the foil lined baking sheet.
-In a sauce pan, melt butter and add brown sugar.
-Allow butter & sugar to caramelize and boil for 2-3 minutes.
-Pour mixture over the saltines.
-Bake saltines in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
-Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the saltines.
-Allow it to rest for 2 minutes – enough for chocolate chips to melt.
-Using a rubber spatula or spreader, spread the melted chocolate over the saltines to evenly coat.
-Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts.
-Refrigerate to harden the chocolate.
-Break into random pieces and enjoy!

Source: Joelen’s Culinary Adventures

I knew the strawberries needed to look elegant and taste wonderful. I wanted the strawberries to be perfect, so I knew setting them down on wax paper to dry just wasn’t going to cut it. While the top side looks pretty, the bottom side ends up totally flat (not so pretty). After doing a little research online, I learned this awesome trick for how to make the strawberries without getting a flat side. The secret? Toothpicks and Styrofoam. I inserted a toothpick into each strawberry, dipped it, and then stuck the toothpick into a Styrofoam board:

Chocolate covered strawberries are probably one of the simplest desserts to make, but I was still incredibly excited with how well these turned out. Here is a picture (courtesy of Mike Briggs) from the wedding reception:

Thanks, Joanne and Javier, for letting me share in your special day. :)

After the Halloween party, all that was left of these was the platter they were on and a fake bug. Nice. :)

White Chocolate Strawberry Ghosts
Ingredients:
about 2 dozen strawberries
6 0unces (1 box) white baking chocolate
about 1/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
-Wash and dry strawberries. Make sure you dry them well. You don’t want your chocolate seizing up because water gets in it.
-Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler (or in the microwave, if you prefer).
-Dip each strawberry in the white chocolate and twist to prevent drips.
-Immediately add the “eyes.” I had to have Star do this for me so that I could keep dipping the rest of the strawberries, so use a friend if you need to.
-Once finished, freeze the strawberries for 5 minutes.
-Meanwhile, melt the rest of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
-Remove strawberries from freezer.
-Use a toothpick to paint on the “mouth.” You can make an open or closed mouth.
-Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I posted the original recipe in case any of you want to make a full batch. Giada got all fancy by adding sugared mint leaves. Eric and I didn’t need that for just the two us, but I think it would make a great touch when making these for a party. Since we only made six, we made all the wonton wrappers at once and then fried them a couple at a time. If you just make a few like we did, you won’t have to worry about keeping the extra ones warm in the oven.

Nutella Ravioli
Ingredients:
16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Vegetable oil, for frying
16 fresh mint leaves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Granulated sugar, for dredging
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:
-Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap.
-Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface.
-Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg.
-Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper.
-Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal.
-Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet.
-Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.
-Preheat the oven to 200° F.
-Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches.
-Heat the oil over medium heat to 350° F.
-Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side.
-Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
-Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)
-Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray.
-Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly.
-Arrange 2 fried ravioli on each plate.
-Dust the ravioli with powdered sugar.
-Garnish with the sugared mint leaves and serve.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis

Dream Pie
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1 box instant white chocolate or vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
pecans for topping (optional)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325°.
-With an electric mixer, combine flour, butter and pecans until flour and butter are completely incorporated. This will be your crust.
-Press crust mixture into the bottom of a 13×9 glass dish.
-Bake crust for 18-20 minutes. (Crust may not appear to be done, but be careful not to overcook).
-While the crust is baking, start to whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer.
-When cream has begun to thicken, add sugar and vanilla. (You can also sweeten your whipped cream with your own method here.)
-Continue to beat until whipped cream is formed. Cover and refrigerate for later.
-When crust is finished baking, remove and let cool.
-While crust is cooling, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup of whipped cream with an electric mixer to form the first layer.
-Carefully add this mixture to the (cool) crust. Spread, taking care not to pull up the crust.
-With a whisk or electric mixer, beat puddings and milk until smooth (about two and half minutes).
-Carefully spread pudding on top of cream cheese layer.
-Add remaining whipped cream to form top layer.
-Sprinkle with pecans (optional).

Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients:
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, or a mixture, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
Pinch fine salt
1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
-Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
-Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth.
-Whip the cream in a medium bowl until it holds soft peaks. Take care not to over whip the cream or the mousse will be dense. Cover and refrigerate while you cook the eggs.
-Whisk the water and espresso powder together in a small bowl.
-Put the eggs in another bowl that also sets over the water in the saucepan.
-Beat the egg yolks, pinch of salt, and sugar until foamy and light, about 30 seconds.
-Set the bowl over the water and whip with an electric mixer or whisk, moving in a circular motion around the bowl, until the eggs get very fluffy and hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. -Remove the bowl from the heat and continue beating on high speed until the thick ribbons fall from the beater when lifted out of the bowl, about 5 minutes more.
-Fold in the espresso.
-Fold about a quarter of the eggs into the chocolate to lighten it, then fold in the rest of the egg.
-Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate base to make a smooth light mousse.
-Pour the mousse into 4 serving dishes or wine glasses. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
-Enjoy!

Note: For a dark, double-rich mousse, use all bittersweet chocolate instead of the semisweet, and decrease the cream to 3/4 cup.

Source: Food Network Kitchens