Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

 
Sometimes things don't go the way you want them to.  You don't feel "good enough," life gets confusing, and everywhere you turn you seem to be faced with obstacles and frustration.  Thankfully, we have family.  And friends.  And... chocolate.  And nothing could beat a combination of all three.

 

 Adapted from a foodnetwork recipe.

Ingredients

8oz semisweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
10 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 large eggs, plus 3 yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs your favorite liqueur (I used Amarula)

1 pinch of salt

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease six (6 oz) ramekins. Melt the chocolate and butter slowly in a double boiler.  Remove from heat, and mix in the flour and sugar to chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and yolks until smooth. Stir in the vanilla, liqueur, and salt. Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be runny. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates. Serve alone, or with vanilla ice cream :)

 

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Saltine Toffee

I forgot how good this stuff is.  In high school, each year at the beginning of Hanukkah, my friends and I used to get together and make it on top of matzo, and everyone in the class would be begging for "just a little piece" all week long.  Thank you Melissa for introducing me to this simple and delicious candy!

When I was back in Eugene for a few days this summer, my mom decided to make it for Krissy's Going away (to College) party.  It was a hit.  Only she makes it with Saltine crackers, which add just the perfect amount of saltiness to each bite.  And I was so excited that mom had left a good amount at home in the fridge, however, I had gotten excited too soon.  Mom, being the generous person that she is, had my sister and I deliver it to my cousins' house so that they could enjoy it instead.  Sigh.  But that's what sweets are for, sharing.  So I've decided to make a batch myself, and I'm sure there will be plenty of friends to share with :)

This recipe is all over the internet, but here it is once again:

Ingredients
A bag and a half salted saltine crackers (about 40 crackers)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
cup chopped nuts (I used slivered almonds)

Procedure
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a large jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray (I forgot to spray mine, but it turned out okay).  Lay the saltine crackers evenly on the pan, squeezing in as many as possible.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat.  After the butter has completely melted, continue stirring until the mixture begins to boil around the edges.  Let it boil for three minutes without stirring. After three minutes, pour the hot brown sugar mixture evenly over the saltine crackers.  I had to spread the toffee over the crackers, so that the whole pan was evenly covered.

 my small sauce pan was just barely big enough

Bake in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips across the toffee. Let them melt for a couple of minutes and then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly across the toffee (I turn off the oven after taking out the toffee, but return the toffee to the warm oven after sprinkling the chocolate chips over it.  One minute in the hot oven melts the chocolate just enough that it's easy to spread).

 after 5-6 minutes in the oven, it should be all bubbly

Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the melted chocolate. Let the toffee and chocolate cool completely (I put mine in the fridge to help it set up quickly). Break the toffee into bite-size pieces.

To store, keep toffee in an air-tight container for 1-2 weeks (in the fridge if your house is warm, like mine) or in the freezer for a couple of months (if you can make it last that long).

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Salted Caramel Bars

It feels good to be back in Eugene.  I was welcomed by the rain, a true Eugenian welcome.  Rain and my parents new kitchen.  Mom and Jamie were still on their way home from their beach volleyball tournament in Seaside, and Dad said that we're on host/hostess duty for church the next day.  So I set right to work making some deliciousness.  As probably everyone who knows me knows, I love any excuse to make dessert, and I'll jump at any chance to spend a few hours baking.

The church I grew up in has always provided a nice spread of finger-food after each service.  Sometimes it's a little excessive, and probably intimidates people from volunteering to join the host/hostess volunteer list.  But regardless of how lavish or decadent or tasty the snacks, there is something beautiful about watching everyone linger after the service is over, enjoying each others company over a cup of coffee and a salted caramel bar.  A simple little bite to excite the palate provides for nearly an hour of fellowship, and brings a family atmosphere to the congregation.

As sad as it sometimes makes me to visit VCC, because so much of my (church) family no longer goes there, I will never stop visiting, because those who are left make me feel like I've come home, every time.  And somehow, Garry McCready knows exactly what songs to play, as if he is personally welcoming me back.  Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.   How deep the father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure.  Those songs will stay in my head all day long. :)

Ingredients
for the shortbread
6 oz unsalted butter, chilled
1 3/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

for the caramel
5 1/2 oz unsalted butter
1 can (396 g) sweetened condensed milk 
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp sea salt

for the topping
6 oz dark or semisweet chocolate
coarse sea salt

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Using parchment paper, line the a 8"x8" baking dish.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and sugar for the shortbread.  Using your a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture begins to come together, and looks moist.  Press the dough into the bottom of the lined baking dish, and pierce with a fork.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until just barely golden brown.  Set aside to cool.  While cooling, begin the caramel...
In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Once melted, add the sweetened condensed milk, sugars, and salt.  Turn the heat up to medium, and stir.  When the sugars have dissolved, turn the heat to medium-high, and stir constantly.  When the caramel reaches a boil, turn the heat to low, and continue stirring for 10 minutes.  This step is important.  If the caramel isn't cooked long enough, it won't set well, and your bars will be a gooey mess!  After ten minutes, pour the caramel over the shortbread, and spread it evenly, so that it reaches all the corners.  Let cool completely at room temperature (if you're in a rush, it probably wouldn't hurt to throw them in the fridge).
For the chocolate layer, simply melt the chocolate in a double boiler (in a metal mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water), or in a microwave proof bowl for 30 second increments, until smooth.  I was working with poor quality chocolate, so I had to add a bit of butter to get the chocolate nice and smooth.  But it meant the chocolate didn't harden like it should have.  So I recommend using a good quality chocolate.  Spread the chocolate over the caramel, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt!
Cool at room temperature, then cut into squares using a large knife.  It helps to run the blade under very hot water, and to clean the blade often between slices.  This makes for prettier bars!

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Ice Cream Sandwiches

My sisters are coming to visit!!!  First time either of them will get to see our house here in Southern California, and I'm so excited.  Besides the two days we got to see each other over spring break for Goong Goong's funeral, we haven't seen each other since Christmas, 2011.  That is sad.  So in honor of sisterly love, we all thought it was high time for a sister get-together vacation!  Thank you Mom for helping us all get together - we'll miss you :)

Both Carina and Jamie have their birthday in late July.  Carina's was just last Sunday, and Jamie's is this coming Saturday.  It will be so fun to get to celebrate together!  We'll have all the friends over, so everyone can meet - I love watching my different worlds collide :)  And I thought for a treat at the party, it would be fun to have little ice cream sandwiches!  Why little?  Well I guess I've kinda just in the mindset of small finger food, and it sounded like fun.

I found a recipe for the "classic" ice cream sandwich on one of my favorite food blogs: smitten kitchen.

Ingredients
2 2/3 cup  all-purpose flour
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra dark or Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbs vanilla extract (I ran out, so I used a tsp of ground vanilla bean)
1/2 gallon of your favorite ice cream (I used vanilla bean and coffee)

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour and cocoa and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy. Add the yolks and vanilla and mix until combined, then scrape down sides and mix briefly again.
 

Add the flour mixture a little at a time then mix until combined.

 
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into two equal pieces. If the dough is too soft to handle, wrap and chill it until firm enough to roll out (I didn't have this problem, but if you do, smitten kitchen recommend 30 minutes only; any longer and it becomes crumbly to roll out). Roll each batch into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle, about 10 by 8 inches. Cut into rectangles.  You can make them whatever size you desire, just try and make them uniform!  Go ahead and re-roll the scraps.

 
Use an offset spatula to transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheets; you’ll only need an inch space between them. Poke the cookies with holes using the blunt end of a skewer, or at smitten kitchen advised, "use the tip of a thermometer (totally brilliant tip from Amy, by the way; it made far better indentations than skewers that I usually use for docking) to poke the cookies with holes (Amy recommends 14 holes but I used this as my guide and made more)."

Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes, or until they stay relatively firm when tapped in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, rerolling scraps as needed.

Meanwhile, line the bottom of a jellyroll pan with parchment paper, allowing it to overhang on two sides (it will act as a sling for the ice cream). Spread the softened ice cream into the pan, smooth the top and freeze until firm, about one hour.

Run a knife along the exposed sides of the pan to loosen the ice cream. Holding onto the parchment paper, lift ice cream out of the pan and onto the work surface. Using one of the cookies as a template, cut ice cream into rectangles.  I used a spatula to transfer the ice cream onto the cookies.  Alternatively, you can use kitchen shears to go right through the ice cream and the paper underneath, then flipped each piece of ice cream onto a cookie, peeled off the paper, and finished sandwiching the rectangle of ice cream with a second cookie.

When the ice cream begins to get too soft to handle, simply pop it back in the freezer until firm.  I had a try sitting in the freezer, and immediately transfered the sandwiches to the tray as soon as each one was assembled.   Wrap each ice cream sanwich in plastic wrap.  If your ice cream is too soft, they will continue to lose their shape unless you wrap them in plastic wrap right away. I however, didn't want to individually wrap so many mini ice cream sandwiches, so I just made to to work quickly, and refreeze the ice cream when necessary, so as not to deal with soft soupy ice cream.  Either way, when you're finished, wrap everything up well, so it doesn't take on the freezer flavors and smells.  Freeze until just before serving.

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Better the Next Day Vegan Brownies

Ingredients
1 1/2 whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups cocoa
2 Tbs instant coffee powder
1 cup walnuts
1 15 oz can black beans
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Drain the can of bean juice, and replace with clean water. Puree the beans and water. Combine the pureed beans with the dry ingredients and the extra cup water and vanilla.

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Recipe care of here.

Chloe's Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

For Crust
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chilled butter, sliced

For Filling

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

3 Tbs butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough resembles coarse sand. Press into a greased 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl combine sugars, eggs, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Mix well. Add pecans and chocolate chips. Pour filling into crust. Bake for 65-75 minutes.

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A Hamann/Verdick Family recipe

Healthful Cookie Drops

Ingredients
2 large bananas, mashed
1 Tbs honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine bananas, honey, and oil. Mix well. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon out onto lined cookie sheet. Bake for 14-17 minutes.

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Adapted from here.

Engagement Chocolate Tart

Ingredients

For the crust
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, cold and cubed
~1/4 cups ice cold water

For the filling
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

For the glaze
2 Tbs heavy cream
1 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp light corn syrup
1 Tbs warm water

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the crust, combine flour, salt and cocoa. Mix until well combined. Rub in butter with hands until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water a little bit at a time, mixing with hands until dough just holds together. Don't let dough become too wet or sticky. Press dough into a 9-inch tart or pie pan. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the dough on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool about 10 -15 minutes.

To prepare the filling, bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a medium bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate. Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

To make the glaze, bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water. Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour. Decorate with powdered sugar if you wish!

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Tongue-hugging Coffee Chocolate Bundt

Ingredients

For cake
1 cup water, boiling
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp instant espresso or instant coffee powder
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

For Frosting
1/2 can sweet and condensed milk
2 Tbs butter (at room temperature)
3 heaping Tbs instant coffee crystals
1 tsp vanilla
1+ cups powdered sugar

Procedure
Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Whisk together boiling water, cocoa powder, and 2 tsp espresso powder in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In electric mixer, beat 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil and vanilla until blended. Add eggs and beat well, until smooth. Beat in half of flour mixture, then add cocoa mixture, beat. Mix in remaining flour mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into well-greased bundt pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean. Cool 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. As cake cools, make frosting.

To make the frosting, combine sweet and condensed milk and butter. beat in a mixer, or with a hand mixer. In a small dish, combine coffee crystals with vanilla and mix until coffee crystals dissolve. Stir until smooth, and add to the sweet and condensed milk. Stir in powdered sugar until you reach desired consistency.

Drizzle frosting over cake, add a few chocolate chips on top for decoration if desired.

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cake recipe from epicurious.

Cornmeal Lime Cookies with Rich Hot Cocoa

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar plus 3 Tbs
1 egg
zest of 1-2 limes
juice of one lime
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups flour

Procedure
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter, 2/3 cup sugar, and egg together. Add everything else but the 3 Tbs sugar. Mix well. Drop scoops of batter unto a lined or greased cookie sheet. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to flatter the each batter scoop into a flat disk. Dip the glass or measuring cup in the 3 Tbs of sugar before and after pressing down each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Serve with hot cocoa (trust me; I know ti sounds strange, lime and chocolate, but it's absolutely scrumptious).

For a rich hot cocoa, mix 1 cup milk, 3 oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate, 2 Tbs honey, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp allspice in a saucepan over medium heat for 5-10 min or until all ingredients have combined and cocoa has reached desired temperature.


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Note: some allrecipe influence

Mini Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
5 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs molasses
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop walnuts and chocolate as fine as possible. Combine with rest of dry ingredients in a medium mixxing bowl. In a a separeate bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Add molasses and egg. Mix well. Add vanilla; mix well. Mix in dry ingredients by hand. Dallop dough onto greased or lined cookie sheet and bake for 7-12 minutes.

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Recipe from 101cookbooks.

Espresso Chocolate Mini-Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp instant coffee powder
1/2 tsp ground coffee
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. Add egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and applesauce. Mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into greased mini-muffin cups. Put muffin cups on baking sheet or in normal muffin pan. Bake for 15 minutes.


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Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts

Procedure
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together sugars and butter; add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until just combined. Dollop onto greased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.


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Chocolate Mousse Filled Cream Puffs

Ingredients

For the Mousse
1 cup boiling water
8 oz. chocolate, in small pieces (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

For the Pastry
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs


Procedure for the mousse
In a large bowl, pour boiling water over chocolate pieces. Stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Place bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice (to cool the chocolate slowly). With an electric mixer, beat chocolate mixture. Make sure to wear an apron, and to avoid a messy kitchen, place bowls in the sink while beating. Chocolate will slowly thicken (be patient), then begin to whip like cream. If chocolate becomes runny again, reheat the chocolate (over medium heat) until warm and less frothy. Then repeat the beating over an ice bath. Once stiff peaks form, cover mousse and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

If you have a hard time believing this recipe, watch Heston Blumenthal whip up a batch here.

Procedure for the pastry
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease cookie sheet. In a small saucepan, combine water, butter, salt and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until butter melts and mixture boils. Reduce heat to low and add flour all at once, stir quickly for 1 minute or until dough leaves sides of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time, beating with an electric mixer after each addition. Beat until smooth. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet (should make six puffs). Bake 25 minutes. If puffs are not yet golden brown, continue baking up to five minutes with the oven door propped open. Immediately transfer puffs to a cooking rack. When puffs have cooled slightly, horizontally slice puffs in half. When cooled, fill bottom halves of puffs with mousse, and replace tops. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

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pastry slightly adapted from a The Cooking Photographer recipe.
mousse basically verbatim from a Heston Blumenthal recipe.

Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients
14 oz package sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup egg whites (about 5 large eggs)
1 ½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup cream

Procedure
In a large saucepan, combine shredded coconut, sugar, and egg whites. Stir until well combined. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, about 12-15 minutes, until the mixture no longer looks creamy, but is pasty and sticky. Do not cook until dry. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and almond extract. Spread mixture onto large baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease baking sheet, and scoop coconut onto baking sheet using a ¼-cup measuring cup. Pack the coconut mixture into domes, you should have about a dozen. Bake the macaroons until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan until very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, and pour cream over chocolate. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth and chocolate is thoroughly melted. Set cooling rack holding cookies over baking sheet and spoon glaze over macaroons, covering them almost completely and allowing chocolate to drip down the sides. Leftover glaze can be refrigerated. Refrigerate macaroons until glaze sets, at least 2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze.

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basically verbatim from an Orangette recipe.