Category: Chocolate

Chocolate · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Christmas Crack Candy

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Oh Great, something else for me to get addicted to. As of 2 days ago, I am not additcted to the Red Velvet Cookies and now this. A friend just called me and said, “RUN do not walk to the store and buy everything you need for this candy.” So as soon as I post this, Frosty is driving our sleigh to Kroger so I can get the necessary ingredients. Will let you know if I am checking myself into Candy Treatment Center’s of America tomorrow.
1 16 oz jar salted peanuts
1 16 oz jar unsalted peanuts
1 – 12 oz bag(s)
semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 – 12 oz bag(s)
milk chocolate chips
2 – 10 oz bag(s)
peanut butter chips
2 – 1 lb pkg
white almond bark or vanilla candy coating

Directions Step-By-Step

1

Spray your crockpot with Pam then layer all ingredients in a large crockpot (starting with peanuts). Turn the pot on low, cover with lid, and leave sitting for 2 hours. Then, remove lid and stir to combine. Replace lid and leave sitting for another 30 minutes. Stir again and then spoon mixture on to wax paper or non-stick aluminum foil. Allow to harden for at least 1 hour. Then break off into chunks.  Enjoy!

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Red Velvet Cookies (Thank you Duncan Hines)

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This is an infomercial! I thought since most of us are in a time crunch, but are still desiring to bake Christmas cookies, this would come in handy. I have heard of the cookies made from cake mixes, but until two nights ago, I had never really liked the ones that I had tasted. A friend came by with snickerdoodles which were awesome. When I told Peggy how good they were, she said, “glad you liked them, I made them from a cake mix”. I was shocked. So today, I stopped and bought a Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix and am making the cookie recipe on the side of their box. Am making one little change. I am making them into thumbprint cookies and filling the indention with my cream cheese frosting. Am so excited that I can whip up a batch of cookies that taste like homemade, in less than 5 min…I thought it would be fun to color the cream cheese frosting green so, wa-la, Christmas cookies that taste like red velvet and it was really so easy. The picture below is a plate of the original directions on Duncan Hines, each ball dipped in Powdered sugar, the ones on the outside are the ones I ended up just baking as balls and then added colored cream cheese frosting and sprinkles. Merry Christmas from my heart to yours…tkbakesalot2014-12-21 14.04.58

If you happen to have a box of red velvet cake mix that doesn’t have the recipe on the side, here it is:

1 box red velvet cake mix

6 tables softened butter

2 eggs

Mix until well blended with mixer on low to medium speed. Drop 1″ balls into powdered sugar and onto lightly greased cookie sheet if you are not using Parchment paper or coated cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for about 9-10 min. If you use the cream cheese frosting, do not roll the balls in the powdered sugar. Just drop the balls onto the cookie sheet and using a Thumbie or your thumb, make an indention in the center of each cookie. The indention will almost disappear when cookies are baked, but don’t worry about that. Fill in with frosting of your choice.

Chocolate · Desserts

Praline Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Last evening we were invited to a birthday dinner for my BFF here in Dallas. One of Cora’s favorite things is to stand in my kitchen and eat my praline frosting with a spoon straight out of the pan. She also loves chocolate cake, so I thought about it and decided to combine her two favorite flavors into one big chocolate cake with praline frosting. The inside layers of frosting were the praline and the outside was covered with a great chocolate cream cheese frosting. The results were amazing.

Cake:

1 box Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake mix

4 eggs at room temp (this is important as they whip up and allow the cake layers to be fluffier)

1 cup COLD water

1 envelope of Dream Whip (yes you can still find it on the shelves in baking isle of grocery)

Mix all ingredients, beating well for 4 min on medium speed. Bake in 3 prepared pans as directed on back of box. When you have turned the cake layers out on waxed paper allowing to cool, until you frost them, prepare the frosting.

Praline Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 teas vanilla

Combine the butter, brown sugar and whipping cream in a sauce pan to allow the sugar and butter to melt. Stir constantly and when mixture begins to bubble around the edges, pour over the powdered sugar which has been placed in a mixing bowl. Beat well until all powdered sugar is incorporated then add 1 teas vanilla and beat until spreading consistency. Add a little more whipping cream as needed to spread over the layers of cake. If frosting begins to get to thick while waiting to spread on 2nd inside layer, add a little more whipping cream. Place the bottom layer on a serving platter and spread half of the praline frosting over the cake layer. Place the 2nd layer on top and use the other half of the frosting (I saved about 2 tables to drizzle over the top of the cake) to spread over the layer. Then place the 3rd chocolate layer over the praline frosting but do not frost it until the sides of the cake have been frosted with the chocolate frosting. Then frost the top of the cake with the chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar

1 stick of butter

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teas vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine the butter,  chocolate chips and cocoa. Stir until all is melted and combined well. Pour over the powdered sugar and add the softened cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until it is combine and no more lumps remain in the frosting. If necessary, you may use milk or whipping cream to thin frosting to spreading consistency. I did add just a touch of whipping cream. (about 2 tables). 2014-12-05 12.42.04 2014-12-05 19.52.41 Add the vanilla and blend in well. Frost sides and top of cake with chocolate mixture. I drizzled a little of the praline frosting over the top of the cake as well.

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Croissant Cocottes

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I’m so glad I just have to type the wood “cocottes” and not have to pronounce it…wouldn’t have a clue. If it does rhyme with butter, sugar or cream, your guess is as good as mine. Upon leaving Costco yesterday, the sweet little teeny bopper at the exit door handed Frosty one of their yearly cookbooks that they give away each Christmas. Thumbing through it, I found this and it sounds like something Paula Deen would put her stamp of approval…

4 large butter croissants

Butter for greasing ramekins or “cocottes” (oh I bet it is those cute expensive little dishes you find at Williams Sonoma)

2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

3 large eggs

2 tables brown sugar, packed

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Whipped cream, crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut croissants into small cubes. Butter six (8 oz) ramekins or cocottes.

Melt bittersweet chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Whisk until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with brown sugar, cinnamon, milk and cream. Pour 1/3 of egg mixture into melted chocolate, whisking and then return all of chocolate mixture to remaining egg mixture, whisking to combine. Add croissant pieces, coating them well to soak up liquid. Mix in semisweet chocolate chips.

Divide mixture between buttered ramekins or cocottes, filling to the top.

Place ramekins or cocottes on a baking sheet and bake 20-30- min, until filling is set.

Bust with powdered sugar. Serve warm with whipped cream, crème fraiche or vanilla (or cinnamon ice cream), as desired. Makes 6 servings.

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Creme Brulee

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Having just returned from Corpus where we go to see my mom, as usual, we stay with the friends who I have mentioned several times. They treat me like their daughter and Randy, well, Hal, who is 90 bends Randy’s ear about the oil field surveying business. Hal still goes to work everyday and Jane cooks non-stop. She is 80 and has so many of the best old cookbooks that I love to look through as we sit and talk in the evening. I copied several of the recipes that caught my eye. Frosty loves crème brulee and I love chocolate, so when I read this recipe, I couldn’t wait to come home and make it. Since we will be having pecan pie and piles of whipping cream piled on pumpkin pie this week, I think I had better hold off since this recipe has lots of heavy cream and 4 egg yolks. Do not want to spend our Thanksgiving in the hospital having our arteries unclogged.

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 teas vanilla or 1 vanilla bean

1 (4 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

4 egg yolks

t Tables sugar

4-6 Tables sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 300. Mix cream and vanilla together in a double boiler. Heat mixture for 10-15 min and stir in chocolate. Remove vanilla bean if that is what you used instead of extract. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl.. Slowly pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture, continuously stirring.

Place bowl over simmering water (which was under the chocolate mixture) until cream mix thickens and coats back of spoon. This takes about 6-8 min. Pour into 4 (4 oz) custard dishes. Place in a large baking pan and add enough water to come up halfway to the sides of the custard cups. Bake until custard is set, about 1 hour. Remove from water and cool. Cover and refrigerate; sprinkle 1 tables of sugar over top of each cup and with a brulee torch, caramelize the top before serving.

Chocolate · Desserts

German Chocolate Fudge Pie

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We are having some friends over tonight for dinner. When I was thinking about what we would have for dessert, this recipe popped in my mind from many years ago. My sister-in-law at that time, had developed a recipe that we had hoped would be exactly like the fudge pie we always ordered at a restaurant there in Corpus. After many attempts, this is the recipe that she finally thought would give us that same flavor. We top it with whipped cream and just used a chocolate crumb pie shell to make it even easier. It is a one bowl fudgy flavored great recipe…easy and yummy….get the whipped cream ready.

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tables flour

2 tables cornstarch

3 teas unsweetened cocoa

2 tables water

1 1/2 tables melted butter

2 eggs

1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk

1/2 cup coconut

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 teas vanilla

1 unbaked pie shell (I use the Keebler Chocolate Crumb shell)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and cocoa. Add water, melted butter and whisk until mixed well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla, coconut and nuts. Mix until combined. Pour into pastry shell and bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until firm to the touch.  Cool completely and top with whipped cream.

appetizers · Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare

Apple Nachos

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For all you gluten free friends here is a great snack that is easy and delicious. Just in time for Fall

36 caramels

1 tables water

30 large marshmallows

1/3 cup butter, cubed

4 medium tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/4 ” slices

1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

3 tables Halloween sprinkles

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels with water; stir until smooth

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt marshmallows and butter. Arrange apple slices on a large platter. Drizzle with the caramel; top with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts, chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

Chocolate · Cookies · Daily Thoughts · Desserts

German Chocolate Thumbprints

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At church today our teacher in our Sunday School class was talking about how spoiled his kids were and  told us that “IF” (and believe me he doesn’t) but “IF” he believed in reincarnation, he would want to come back as one of his children. I started to think about that and realized that it would be great to come back as one of our grandchildren. We had lunch today with our 10 yr old grandson and I got him in trouble by handing him a giant Hershey bar as soon as we sat down. Of course he immediately unwrapped it and began to chomp away on it before his dad saw it and fussed at him for eating it before having something “healthy”. I don’t think you can qualify Mexican food as “healthy” but since all Sevy had had all day was donuts and now candy, I guess the Mexican food was a little better than what he had eaten all day. All this to say that when you think about how we Baby Boomers totally spoil our grandkids, it would be great to come back as one of them.  But since we won’t be coming back as anyone or anything, I think I will just go ahead and eat all the chocolate I can now.

Hence the recipe…

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 table shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tables strong coffee (brewed)

1 teas vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tables baking cocoa

1 teas baking powder

1/4 teas salt

Filling:

3/4 cup flaked coconut

3/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1 teas vanilla

4 to 6 tables sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)

Drizzle:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tables shortening

Preheat oven to 350.

In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, coffee, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Using a Thumbie (which you can by on Etsy for $5.00 in the chocolatecastles store), make an indention in the center of each ball. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, for filling, in a small bowl, combine the coconut, pecans and vanilla. Stir in enough of the sweetened milk to form a stiff mixture. Fill cooled cookies with filling (about a teas each). Melt chocolate chips and the shortening for the drizzle and then drizzle over the cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: about 4 dozen

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

S’More Cookies*

Chocolate Castles3 Comments

2014-09-08 15.43.20

Mr. Smarty Pants made his point that he was tired of running back and forth to get baking items for me when he brought this home this weekend. I put it beside the 25 lb sack of sugar that he made me buy and told him that I had had enough of his smart alec suggestions, that unless I got the desire to make 100 dz hot tamales, he can just march right back to the store and buy my butter flavored Crisco, which I’m sure is much more healthy than the bucket of lard.  So while I wait for him to get back with my Crisco to make these cookies, I don’t want him to know that I am actually using the lard to make pie crusts. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.  It truly makes great pie crusts but when people comment and tell you that that is the best pie crusts EVER, I just never quite have the nerve to tell them why. When people hear the word “lard” they think immediate heart attack. So it will be my little secret. I just tell them it is an old family recipe.

These cookies are so munchable (is that a word)?

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup Crisco

1 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

1 tables vanilla

\2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups firmly packed graham-cracker crumbs

3/4 teas baking powder

3/4 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1 ( 11.5 oz) bag semisweet chocolate chunks

1 1/4 cups marshmallow bits *Jet-puffed Mallow Bits)

1 sleeve (about 9) crackers, broken into small pieces

preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Beat at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, graham-cracker crumbs, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until well combined. Beat in chocolate chunks and marshmallow bits. Beat in graham crackers, beating just until combined.

Drop cookies by rounded tablespoon , 2″ apart onto prepared baking pan. Garnish tops of cookies with additional marshmallow bits, if desired.

Bake for 10 min or until lightly browned. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 min before removing to wire racks to completely cool.

Makes about 4 dozen

*taken from Southern Lady, Oct 2013

Dr

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Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

The Amazing Mug Cake

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Ok, just when I thought that there were some nights when I was just too tired to get in the kitchen to whip up something sweet at 9 or 10 p.m., which would allow me to actually go a whole day without dessert, comes this Mug Cake. It goes from bowl to mouth in 5 minutes. So now, I don’t ever have to go to bed without a sugar high. The recipe is in the back of the Food Network Mag and gives several different toppings for this cute little “cup” cake. I have to admit that I have never made a cake or any dessert, for that matter, in the microwave. So as soon as I’m off this computer, I am going to go nuke my first dessert.

Lightly butter 4 microwave safe coffee mugs. Place 1/2 cup ea: sugar and buttermilk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg, and 1/2 teas almond extract or vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until smooth, about 2 mins.

Whisk in 1/2 cup flour, 1/8 teas baking soda and a pinch of salt. Combine with oil mixture and mix until smooth.

Pour 1/2 cup batter into each mug. Microwave 1 at a time until puffed and cake test done in middle (about 1 minute.) Bake at 15 sec intervals if needed.

Let it cool slightly and frost as desired. Sprinkle any topping, such as strawberries, chocolate chips, nuts, marshmallows, caramel, etc.

If you want to make the cake chocolate, decrease the flour to 1/3 cup and add 2 tables cocoa to flour mixture.

Top cakes with ice cream if desired.