Category: Chocolate

Chocolate · Desserts

Peanut Butter Mississippi Mud Brownies

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Just put a lemon pound cake in the oven and am waiting for the cupcakes that I made with the left over batter. We sat down to watch AGT and realized that we didn’t have any dessert to eat during the millions of commercials. So while the lemon buttercream frosting sits while the cupcakes finish, I thought I would post this recipe that has so many of the favorite flavor combinations of the dessert world: peanut butter, chocolate and marshmallows.

4 (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

1 1/3 cups butter, softened and divided

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 large eggs

2 cups flour, divided

1 teas vanilla

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teas baking powder

3 cups miniature marshmallows

1 1/2 cups lightly salted roasted peanuts

Chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Microwave chocolate in microwave safe bowl at Medium (50% power) for about 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir until smooth until all chocolate is melted.

Beat 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar at medium speed dwith mixer until ight and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended. Add 1 cup flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Spread half of batter in a greased and floured 13×9″ pan.

Beat peanut butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar at medium speed with mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1 cup flour and add to peanut butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended.

Spoon peanut butter mixture over brownie batter; top with remaining brownie batter and swirl together.

Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minu or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs stuck to it. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and sprinkle with marshmallows and peanuts immediately after removing so the marshmallows will melt.

Prepare chocolate frosting and drizzle over brownies. Cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

Melt 1/4 cup butter with 3 tables unsweetened cocoa and 3 tables milk in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat an whisk in 2 cups powdered sugar and teas vnilla. Beat until smooth.

Chocolate · Desserts

Brownies for Two

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Once again, taken from Desserts for Two by Christina Lane, probably brownies are one of those “cravings” that attack more than any other. Just finished baking the Mini Sour Cream Pound Cakes and they are delicious. Randy is ready to be the official tester for all her recipes that I will be making.

Some days, the only thing that will satisfy that sweet tooth is a delicious chocolate brownie. When your husband or wife is out of town, or you live alone, you don’t want a huge pan of brownies. You want enough to eat during that Hallmark movie that you recorded last week and this one will not disappoint. Christina Lane, you are a genius for these amazing little recipes.

Yields 2 large or 4 small brownies

4 tables unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup plus 1 tables granulated sugar

1/4cup plus 2 tables unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teas salt

1/2 teas vanilla

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325. position Rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a bread loaf pan (9x5x3″) with parchment paper.

In a medium size microwave safe bowl, combine the butter, sugar and cocoa powder. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and microwave for another 30 seconds.

Stir the mixture very well, then add the salt and vanilla. Stir for 1 min to let the mixture cool down. Add the egg and stir until it’s incorporated.

Sprinkle in the flour and then give the batter about fifty brisk strokes, using a wooden spoon.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 20-23 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick. The top of the brownies will be shiny an dry when done.

Let cool completely in the pan then use the parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan. Slice into either 2 or 4 brownies.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Brown Sugar Fudge Cake

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Summer is suppose to be all about the fresh fruit, cool ice box pies & ice cream. But in my world, any season is perfect for chocolate. The combination of the brown sugar with the unsweetened cocoa, makes for a moist, delicious flavor that creates a great chocolate cake.

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teas baking soda *see below

3/4 teas salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teas vanilla

3 eggs

3 envelopes (1 oz each envelope) Nestle Chocolate Unsweetened Bake (If you cannot find these, use 3 squares of 1 oz each unsweetened chocolate, melting as per directions on box)

1 cup buttermilk

*If you don’t use your baking soda regularly, test it to be sure it is still good by dropping in about a 1/2 teas in a glass of warm water, if it doesn’t fizz up, replace the baking soda)

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the melted chocolate.

Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9″ round or square pans. Bake 30 to 32 minutes  or until cake tests done. Cool on wire racks. Fill and frost with your favorite frosting.

It is wonderful with browned butter frosting or the chocolate frosting that is on the blog. Just put in chocolate frosting in the search engine.  The browned butter frosting is under the Fresh Apple Cake post, so just put that in the search space.

Chocolate · Desserts

Nestle Tollhouse Heavenly Cream Cheese Pie

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Taken from a Tollhouse Cookbook from 1980, this chocolate cream pie is a great and a little different pie. Just finished making the Fresh Peach Miracle Pie for family tonight, but as soon as it is gone, will be making this pie…

Chocolate Nut Crust

1 6 oz package (1 cup) Nestle Toll House Semi sweet chocolate chips

1 tables shortening

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

Filling

1 (6 oz) package (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/8 teas salt

2 eggs, separated *(If you worry about the egg yolks, buy imitation eggs for this recipe but you will still need 2 egg whites)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teas  vanilla

Chocolate crust:

Line a 9″ pie pan with foil. Over hot (not boiling) water, melt 1 cup of the semi-sweet chips with the shortening, stir in nuts.

Spread evenly on bottom and side of prepared pie pan. Chill in fridge until firm, about an hour. Lift out of pan, by the edge of the foil.

Remove foil and place back in pan. Chill until ready to fill.

Filling

Melt the other 1 cup of the chocolate chips over hot (not boiling) water; cool 10 min. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and the salt. Beat until creamy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in cooled chocolate. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat cream and vanilla unit stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream and beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture. Pour into chocolate crust and place in fridge for about 4 hours. Garnish with more sweetened whipping cream.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Neapolitan Cheesecake

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Leave it to Taste of Home to publish a great and different cheesecake. I had never seen a recipe for this and it sounds quite good. Will be the next cheesecake I make. The recipe has won several first place ribbons at fairs and is from a lady who lives in Canada.

1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs

5 tables butter, melted and divided

3 packages ( 8 oz ea) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teas vanilla

5 squares (1 oz ea) semisweet chocolate, divided

2-1/2 (which will be equal to 2 1/2 oz) white baking chocolate, divided

1/3 cup mashed sweetened strawberries

2 teas shortening, divided

Combine crumbs, 3 tables melted butter; press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9″ spring form pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree  preheated oven for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Add vanilla. Divide into 3 portions, about 1 2/3 cup each.

Melt 2 squares semisweet chocolate; stir into one portion of batter. Melt 2 squares of white chocolate; stir into second portion. Stir strawberries into the 3rd portion. Spread semisweet mixture evenly over crust. Carefully spread with white chocolate batter, then the strawberry mixture on top of that. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300. Bake about 50 minutes or until center is nearly set. You want it to jiggle slightly. Remove from the oven; immediately run a knife around the edge. Cool then remove from pan.

Melt remaining semisweet chocolate, remaining butter and 1 teas shortening; cool for 2 minutes. Pour over cake. Melt remaining white chocolate and rest of shortening; drizzle over the chocolate glaze. Cool in fridge at least 4-6 hours.

Serves: 12-14

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

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This afternoon I thought I would hunt for a new chocolate cake recipe and came across this new one that I had not seen. Since we love the Texas Sheet with the teaspoon of cinnamon in it, this one should be one that will satisfy our chocolate fix tomorrow. I saw it online in “my recipes” and cannot wait to bake it tomorrow. Let me know if you have tried it and what you thought about the flavor.

recipe Photo by: Photo: Jim Franco; Styling: Leslie Siegel

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

We replicated the flavor profile of Mexican chocolate using semisweet chocolate and cinnamon. If you prefer to use Mexican chocolate, look for it with the hot drink mixes or on the Hispanic food aisle. This moist pound cake is equally delicious without the sauce.
  • Yield: Makes 16 servings
  • 1 (8-oz.) package semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped*
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • Powdered sugar (optional)
  • Mexican Chocolate Sauce
  • Garnish: toasted sliced almonds

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Microwave chocolate baking squares in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute and 15 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring at 15-second intervals. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla until smooth.

2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (14-cup) tube pan.

3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with Mexican Chocolate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.

*2 (4.4-oz.) packages Mexican chocolate, chopped, may be substituted. Omit ground cinnamon.

Note: We tested with Nestle Abuelita Marqueta Mexican chocolate.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate-Hazelnut Eclair Cake

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One of the reasons I look forward to getting the Paula Deen magazine every 2 months, is that I know there will be fantastic dessert recipes in them. The new May-June has so many great recipes in them, that by the time I try them all, I will be wearing a tent.

2 (3.3 oz) packages white chocolate instant pudding mix

3 cups whole milk

1 teas vanilla

1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow crème

1 (14.4 oz) package graham crackers

1 cup grated bittersweet chocolate

1 (13 oz) jar chocolate-hazelnut spread *like Nutella

1 1/3 cups chocolate syrup

In a large bowl, bet pudding mix, milk and vanilla with a mixer on medium-low speed until thickened. In a medium bowl, beat whipped topping and marshmallow crème with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat whipped topping mixture into pudding mixture until well blended.

In the bottom of a 13×9″ freezer safe baking dish, arrange one-third of graham crackers in an even layer, breaking crackers as needed to entirely cover bottom of dish. Spread half of pudding mixture over crackers and sprinkle with half of the grated chocolate. Repeat the layers once and top with remaining graham crackers.

In a medium bowl, beat chocolate syrup and the hazelnut spread on medium until well combined; spread over graham crackers. Cover pan and freeze for at least 8 hours to 2 days before serving.

Store leftovers in freezer, as the chocolate topping will soften and become a sauce if just refrigerated. But it won’t alter the wonderful flavor if you place in fridge…

Thanks Paula Deen, this one will be made many many times this summer, I’m sure!

Chocolate · Desserts

Brownie Fudge Pie

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Many years ago a sweet friend of mine, Marie Williams gave me a book, Take Big Bites, by Linda Ellerby. It has been one of those books that keeps reminding me that life needs more special moments, more shared memories with loved ones and that we need to always be grateful for each day that we have. Every few pages in the book, Linda gives a recipe. This recipe became one of those that I continue to make sometimes twice a month, sometimes more. It is printed also in my cookbook, Princess on the Porch, but after having it edited again, before it goes into publication, I noticed that the recipe which is on page 90 needs correction. In my book, I gave in the list of ingredients, 1 cup of butter, when it should read 1 STICK of butter. If you have a copy of Princess on the Porch, please make sure to make this correction. It would be pretty greasy if you use 1 cup.

For those of you who don’t have a copy yet, I hope you will consider getting one when they come out in a couple of months. They will be available for Kindle, through Amazon and I think, Barnes & Noble. In the meantime here is the recipe.The book has humorous stories along with recipes and words of encouragement for the seasons of your lives…

Linda Ellerby, thank you for sharing this memory with us. This dessert has already been enjoyed in our home, more times than I can count. Everyone who we have shared it with, agree that it is a chocolate dessert that should be considered a food group.

1 stick butter

2 (1 oz ea) squares unsweetened chocolate

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 teas vanilla

2 eggs

1/4 teas salt.

Preheat oven to

Melt chocolate and butter together over low heat or in microwave. Cool. Mix together the next 5 ingredients. Add cooled chocolate mixture and then stir until completely blended. Pour into a greased pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. Do not over bake, as you want it a little gooey

If you are a true chocoholic, you will cut off a piece every time you walk through the kitchen. Serve warm with ice cream is a great way to make new friends.

Serves: 6 to 8

Breads · Breakfast · Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Chocolate Toffee Biscotti

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Am caterning a luncheon for 6 women this week and I thought I would be great to have a little edible gift for each lady to take home. When I saw these in an 2009 Paula Deen Magazine that I was looking through, this seemed to be the perfect little gift to make them.

Makes about 2 1/2 dz

6 tables butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (light)

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teas baking soda

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/3 cup toasted and chopped slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Stir in toffee bits and almonds.

Shape patter into 2 (91/2×3″) logs on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 min. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 min. Using a serrated knife, cut dough crosswise into 3/4″ thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake for 15 min. Turn slices over and bake for 15 min longer. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Serve with coffee or tea or just sit and nibble on them while watching The Voice!

Breads · Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Cherry Bread Pudding

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It has been 5 days since I have baked. Both Randy and I have been going through sugar withdrawals. Well…almost, we have made it several times to the donut shop and the Blue Bell aisle at the grocery store, but since I couldn’t quit coughing long enough to measure the flour and sugar correctly, we have relied on outside sources for our sugar fill. But today is a turning point. I am proud to say that I can hold the measuring cups without shaking and am able to wear my contacts to read recipes. Life is so good. When I saw this recipe in our Frisco Style Magazine which comes to the house each month, it reminded me of the bread pudding we order at Nordstroms from time to time. (we allow ourselves to have this most honored and wonderful dessert 2 times a year, birthdays and Christmas, as I am sure that it knocks our cholesterol up over 300 each time we have it).
This recipe is made with donuts and since we have found our favorite donut shop in Frisco, called Jenny’s donuts at Legacy and Lebanon, I think I might have to send Mr. Randy out in the sleet and ice to get us a dozen donuts to make this most wonderful sounding bread pudding.
*Recipe by Chef at Ace’s Ice House
1 1/2 dozen donuts
6 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
8 oz white chocolate, crumbled
8 oz dried cherries
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tables vanilla
3 oz butter, sliced into thin slices.
1 tables cinnamon
1 tables nutmeg
Cherry Sauce
2 cups seedless black cherries
1 1/4 cup red port wine
1/2 cup sugar

Cut up the donuts and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the white chocolate and dried cherries. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. (Set aside about 1/4 cup of this mixture.) Add the eggs, cream, milk and vanilla to the sugar mixture. (not the 1/4 cup part). Mix thoroughly and pour over the donut mixture, making sure it is soaked. Put this mixture in a greased baking pan. Evenly place the butter slices on top and sprinkle the 1/4 sugar mixture over the top of the bread pudding. Bake in 350 preheated oven until golden brown. About 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven. Cut into squares, spreading cherry sauce evenly over the top right before serving.
Cherry Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the cherries are soft. Put the mix in the blended to puree then pour on top of serving squares.