Category: Chocolate

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

I love any recipe that has the word “mini” in it. It makes me think that even if I eat them, it will make me “mini”, no matter how much butter or cream cheese are in them. My neighbor, Nancy, has given me a couple of folders in which she and her twin sister have gathered recipes for years. I am so honored that they have allowed me to look through them and pick out ones I want to use. These are the same ladies who took me to the Pasadena Ladies club you might have read about in the blog. Sally, one of the twin sisters, has written a couple of cookbooks and is such a great hostess.  So when I saw this recipe, I knew it was a good one to try.

Makes 24

1 pkg (9.5 oz) Keebler Fudge Shoppe Peanut Butter Filled cookies (now, after seeing the first ingredient, you know these are going to be good)

2  (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs, at room temp

Chocolate Glaze:

3 oz semisweet baking chocolate

2 tables unsalted butter

2 tables light corn syrup

1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Heat oven to 325. Line muffin pans with 24 paper baking cups.

Break cookies into a food processor. Pulse until fine moist crumbs form. Press about 1 tables crumbs into each muffin paper liner and spread over the bottom of liner. Freeze while you are preparing the cheese mixture.

Beat next 4 ingredients in a large bowl with mixer on medium until smooth. On low speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Spoon about 2 1/2 tables into each cup.

Bake 20 min or until puffed. Some may crack on top but that’s ok. Cool completely in pans on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze. Melt the chocolate, butter and syrup together in small saucepan until smooth. Do not boil. Cool slightly. Peel liners off each cupcake. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spoon glaze over tops. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to give glaze a chance to set and cheesecakes to be cold.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Linda Cooper’s Pralines

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Bunco is at our house tonight so thought I would surprise the ladies and make some fudge and pralines. Linda Cooper gave me this recipe in the 80’s and we have made it ever since for holidays and have given away plates of them. They are easy to make, you don’t need a candy thermometer, just a chair to sit on while you stir it for 20 minutes.

This recipe is scrumptious as a filling on a layered chocolate cake which you then pour chocolate ganache over the top.

2 cups sugar

2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup  Pet Evaporated Milk

3 tables white Karo syrup

3 tables butter

1 teas vanilla

In heavy saucepan, bring to a boil the milk, sugar and Karo. When mixture begins to boil, set timer for 20 min ,stirring constantly (even when you are waiting for it to boil) and cook for the 20 min. (on a really low humid day, I only cook  mine for 18 min because I don’t want it to get too hard). When mixture has boiled for 18-20 min, take off heat and add the butter and vanilla. Stir and beat until the mixture starts to get thick. At this point, add the pecans and continue stirring until mixture is beginning to firm up. At this point, drop by teaspoons full on a sheet of waxed paper. Allow to cool and take to the TV room and eat as much as you want.

*If you use this as a filling for chocolate layer cake, I would only cook no longer than 18 minutes. As it begins to firm up as you are stirring it after you have taken it off the heat. Pour it on the bottom layer of a chocolate cake. When it has hardened, put the top layer of the cake on top and then pour your favorite recipe of ganache over the top. (You don’t want the filling to be as hard as the candy, so I wouldn’t cook it as long if you are using it as a filling.)

Breads · Cakes · Chocolate

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

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Went to a brunch this morning and had the most delicious and moist coffee cake I think I have ever had. The middle of the cake had melted chocolate chips, combined with sugar and cinnamon and it looked like it had a layer of fudge right there in the middle of the cake. So naturally I had to come home to see if I could find a recipe that sounded like what I just ate. So after surfing the web, (maybe if I surfed in the water, I might loose a pound or two) AllRecipes.Com had this one that sounds and looks just like the one we had. So am sending it your way. Am going to bake it and take to art class on Friday. Am so excited to make it and well, actually I’m a little more excited about having a whole one to myself than making it, but will share it with others since I really do only surf the web.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Mix well.
  4. Add the flour mixture and combine. Batter will be thick.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  6. Spread half of the cake batter in prepared 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle half of the chocolate chip mixture over the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter, and then the remaining chocolate chip mixture.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

A Super Duper Chocolate Cake

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This is a perfect chocolate cake to bake and have around the house for the weekend. Every time you go through the kitchen, just slice another bite or two off to treat yourself for cleaning the windows, changing the sheets, bathrooms, etc…..this chocolate cake is the perfect amount of cocoa and satisfies that chocolate craving.

Then end that perfect Saturday night grill meal, with a big piece with cinnamon ice cream along side it in a bowl.

 

3/4 cup butter

3/4 tsp baking powder

3 eggs               1/2 tsp salt

2 cups all-purpose flour   2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder         2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda                                          1 1/2 cups milk

 

Allow butter and eggs to get to room temperature. (about an hour)

Lightly grease (or spray with Pam) the bottoms and sides of 3  (8 1/2″)round or square cake pans.

Set pans aside.

Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl,stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and beat on medium another 2 minutes. Mixture should be very light and sugar dissolved completely. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for about 1 min after each egg. Stir in vanilla.

 

Alternately mix in flour mixture with milk, on low until both have been mixed in the butter mixture until well combined. Divide and spread cake batter into the 3 cake pans.

Bake for 30-33 min or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Be sure to watch very closely as you do not want a dry chocolate cake. When the middle of the cake looks a little glossy, it is either usually done or within a 1-2min of being done.

 

Frost with Chocolate Frosting:

In large saucepan, melt 2 cups (12 oz bag) of semisweet chocolate pieces with 1 stick of butter, over low heat.  When melted, cool for 5 min. Stir in one 8 oz sour cream. Gradually add 1 (1 lb) box of powdered sugar (4 1/2 cups). Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add 1 teas vanilla and mix well. Spread between cooled cake layers and on sides and top.

Chocolate · Desserts

3 Minute “Cup” Cake

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I awoke this morning to a most delish idea from a blog called Two Chums. They had written about a cupcake that you can make from start to finish in less than 10 min., so thought I would share this with you. Am making them tonight for dinner.

They found it in a Food Network magazine and said it is so good and much like the “molten chocolate cake” that is so infamous around different restaurants.

Myself, like Two Chums, have never “baked” anything in the microwave oven before so it is broadening my horizons.You really do bake them for 3 min in coffee mugs in the microwave. I think you are going to like this. So easy and so yummy.

8 oz butter

8 oz dark chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

4 eggs

1 teas sea salt

1 teas orange zest or vanilla extract

Whipped cream and shaved chocolate

Put butter and chocolate in glass bowl and microwave for 1 min on high. Stir until all is melted.

In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, eggs, salt and flavor of your choice, zest or extract.

Whisk in melted chocolate mixture. Divide into mugs (4-6, depending on how many you need or how large you want the “cup cakes”)

Place mugs in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. Test the cupcakes. They should be firm on the sides and soft in the middle. Cook 30 sec to 1 min, if needed. Add whipped cream and chocolate shavings and serve immediately. Will post pictures when I make them.

Can’t wait to try them tonight. Write or send a picture if you make them. Have a Chocoholic Weekend!

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

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Am headed to Bunco tonight and it is my turn to bring desserts, so thought I would take something that is cool and creamy. Made some brownies, chocolate pudding and bought some caramel, toffee bits and whipping cream and made this pretty trifle.

Layered them in the bowl and look what you get. A really pretty dessert that you can put together so quickly.

1 small package chocolate instant pudding, made according to directions

1 box brownie mix (I did make homemade because I forgot to buy brownies, the recipe is on the blog)

1 pint of whipping cream, whipped with 1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups toffee bits

1 jar of caramel sauce (used Smuckers)

Pour a little caramel in the bottom of the trifle dish. Layer rest of ingredients beginning with cubed brownies, pudding, 1/2 cup toffee bits and then a third of the whipping cream. Repeat layers ending with whipping cream and then sprinkle last 1/2 cup of toffee bits on top. Cover and put in fridge until serving time. Should serve between 10-12

A Bunco Delight
Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

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1 Ready Crust Chocolate Pie Crust

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)

1 egg

3 tables lemon juice

1 teas vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Chocolate glaze

Preheat oven to 350. With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

Arrange raspberries on bottom of crust. Slowly pour cheese mixture over fruit. Bake 30-35 min or until center is set. Cool.

Top cheesecake with Chocolate glaze; chill.

Glaze: In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt 2 (1 oz ea) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate with 1/4 cup whipping cream. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool just a couple of min and pour over cheesecake and put into fridge for a few hours to chill.

Cakes · Chocolate

Raspberry-Filled Chocolate Pound Cake

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From Southern Lady comes a wonderful cake that combines two great flavors, raspberries and chocolate.

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, at room temp

6 eggs, separated

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1/4 teas  baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup sour cream

1 teas vanilla

1 teas almond extract

1/2 seedless raspberry jam

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks, beat well.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together  into a separate bowl .

Add flour mixture and sour cream, alternately to butter mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl. Add flavorings, beat well.

Beat egg whites until stiff and add to batter. Fold in gently, using a rubber spatula.

Pour half of batter into a buttered and floured bundt pan.

Stir raspberry jam to soften. Evenly distribute jam over center of first layer of batter, keeping jam away from sides of pan.

Pour remaining batter into pan. Bake in preheated 325 oven for 1 hour & 20 min or until knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean (you might get a little jam on the knife, but be sure that there is no cake batter on knife.)

Cool on a wire rack for at least 15-20 min and then invert onto serving platter. Drizzle a chocolate glaze or ganache over cooled cake.

Cakes · Chocolate

Chocolate Lovers’ Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Made this cake last weekend for out of town company and Kari texted me today to get the recipe. I told her it was on the blog,but when I went to find it, I couldn’t. Cannot believe I have never posted this because it is one of my favs and it is a great chocolate cake, but also cut up into squares and made into a truffle, layered with caramel, whipping cream, toffee chips and or hot fudge and chopped up candy bars (your choice)…anyway, back to the cake. It is so moist and such a great chocolate flavor, you will end up making it time and time again.

1 pkg Devils Food cake mix

1 (3 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix

2 cups sour cream

1 cup melted butter (this way, you get your quote of butter in one sitting, not having to look for food that has butter in it) ha

5 eggs (at room temp)

2 tsp almond extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 10″ bundt pan. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in center and pour in sour cream, melted butter (which you have cooled till no longer “hot”), eggs and almond extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 min on medium speed. Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 50 min or until knife inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 min, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, or you can drizzle a chocolate fudge frosting over top (but do NOT let me hear that you used canned frosting) If you need a fav frosting, see below. I usually nuke my bowl of frosting for a min to make it pourable so will make a pretty glaze.

1 box powdered sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

1 stick butter

1/4 cup white karo (this makes frosting shiny and satin looking)

1 teas almond extract

Enough milk or whipping cream to make spreading consistency (usually about 1/3 to 1/2 cup, adding a little at a time to not get to thin)

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

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This is an old common southern dessert that is so popular because of the hot summers there in the south. It is so easy, but tastes so cool and refreshing. Cora just sent this to me and apologized for using canned frosting. Before I call the Paula Deen food police on her for using canned frosting I thought I would copy it to the blog. I have to admit (please don’t tell anyone) that for this recipe I also use canned frosting. It just tastes perfect with the pudding and graham crackers and is such a fav when you take it to gatherings.  So let’s take a girlfriends oath that none of us will tell Paula that we are using canned frosting and lets get in the kitchen and make this right now. You won’t regret it for a moment.

1 box 3.5 oz. vanilla instant pudding

1 box 3.5 oz. chocolate instant pudding

3 cups milk

2 –  8 oz whipped topping (thawed)

1 box (16 oz) graham crackers

1 can (16 oz) chocolate frosting (don’t tell anyone it’s canned frosting!)

Mix each pudding with 1 ½ cups milk.  Fold 8 oz of whipped topping into each pudding.  Ina 9×13 glass pan, layer graham crackers, ½ vanilla puddingmixture, more crackers, ½ chocolate pudding mixture, crackers, remaining vanilla pudding, crackers and remaining chocolate pudding.  Top with layer of crackers and frost with chocolate frosting.  Refrigerate.  Best if made 8 hours before serving.  Refrigerate any leftovers.