Tag: Chocolate

Dark Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

This is my third year participating in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

In its fourth year, the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap helps raise money for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease.

Dark Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies #fbcookieswap

 

In the past, I’ve made Hot Cocoa Cookies and Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies so I decided to do another spin on Chocolate Chip Cookies this year!

 

I adapted a recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. She has these fantastic Soft Baked cookies on her blog, and I used her Soft Baked White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies as the inspiration for this recipe. The secret to these soft and chewy cookies is the addition of cornstarch.. who would’ve thought??

 

 

I changed Sally’s original recipe just a touch, adding dark chocolate chips instead of white, using light brown sugar instead of dark, and substituting in almond extract for the vanilla extract. If you’re looking for some baking inspiration this holiday, absolutely check out Sally’s Baking Addiction, you won’t be disappointed!

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Continue reading Dark Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

Holiday Nut Crunch Bark #GoNutsForNuts

** This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias (Collective Bias, Inc.) and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. **

Is this year moving too quickly for anyone else? I cannot believe it is almost the holiday season! It’s probably a safe assumption the rest of the year is going to fly by as well, so I wanted to get a head start on the holidays now. I’ll hold off on the shopping for a few more days, but it’s never too early to try out some recipes, right? I love giving desserts as small gifts during the holiday season, and bark is a fun and simple option! This bark recipe uses one of Planter’s seasonal nut mixes, which can be found in your local Walmart. Some stores have these great Planter’s holiday displays with all of their seasonal mixes, so it’s so easy to #GoNutsForNuts!

I used Planter’s Holiday Nut Crunch for this recipe, but you could also use one of the other seasonal options, such as Planter’s Cocoa Almonds or Winter Spiced Mix. For additional inspiration, check out the Cooking Up Good website. They have recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more! What’s not to love? If you’re looking for a new dinner idea or a chance to win some awesome prizes, be sure to check it out!

Planter’s also has a Blippar app to help you find more fun recipes to try using their products. Blippar is an app that has image recognition capabilities and gives you the opportunity to interact with Planter’s brand. You can swipe through Holiday Gift Tips, take a selfie with Mr. Peanut, and browse Planter’s holiday products!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag dark chocolate chips (~10 oz)
  • 1 bag milk chocolate chips (~11.5 oz)
  • 3/4 cups Planter’s Holiday Nut Crunch mix
  • 1/2 cup green chocolate wafers
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate wafers

Continue reading Holiday Nut Crunch Bark #GoNutsForNuts

Tiramisu Jars

I wanted to have this post for Tiramisu Jars up for National Coffee Day (September 29th) but. Well. I didn’t. So instead, we will finish off the week with this yummy recipe! Also, honestly, isn’t every day National Coffee Day?

For the past three years, I have had the opportunity to help spread the word about World Vision, and each year they are kind enough to offer a giveaway to go along with the post! Last year, I made Star Anise Snickerdoodles to highlight the Prosperity Cinnamon and the year before I made Couscous with Dried Cranberries and Pine Nuts featuring beautiful Hand-Carved Serving Spoons. This year, I’m using Fair Trade Coffee to make a fun spin on Tiramisu.

 

World Vision is an organization that helps sponsor children in need and helps fight world hunger through your donations. One of the ways you can help the organization is by purchasing products within their Gift Catalog, which allows you to give a truly meaningful gift this holiday season.  The 2014 Christmas season marks the 19th annual edition of the World Vision Gift Catalog. In the 2013 fiscal year, more than 186,000 donors purchased more than 475,000 items that raised over $33.7 million. These items help more than 844,000 people around the world!

The catalog is filled with items for every budget ($16 to $39,000) that help children and families in need worldwide. The World Vision Gift Catalog offers an alternative (or addition to) traditional holiday gift giving. You can choose a gift for these families that fits your financial abilities and personal tastes. For example, a gardener may enjoy donating $17 towards hybrid or drought-resistant seeds, which is enough to feed one family.  With a financial contribution, the gift giver can select from more than 250 items at www.worldvisiongifts.org, as well as Handcrafted Gifts for those who want to give a tangible gift to a loved one.

 

The Fair Trade Coffee I used within this recipe is available with a donation of $65. The 12 oz. coffee set is blended by OneCup.org, using delicious flavors from Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Costa Rica, and is delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. World Vision Gift Catalog has offered to give a Fair Trade Coffee Set away to one lucky reader! Details after the recipe.

I used the coffee to make a strong overnight cold-brewed coffee to use in place of espresso in Tiramisu. Because I am visiting friends this weekend and always try to bring them a treat, I decided to make individual mason jar Tiramisu Trifles because they travel better than a large baking dish. I adapted a recipe from Food Network to make these Tiramisu jars.

Ingredients:
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 pound mascarpone cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups cold-brewed coffee (recipe below)
  • 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
  • 24 packaged ladyfingers, cut into small pieces (I cut mine into 1/6ths)
  • cocoa powder, for dusting
  • 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish
  • 6 8oz mason jars

Continue reading Tiramisu Jars

Clover Cocktail

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I have already shared an Irish-themed main meal, bread, baked good, and sweet treat so I thought this time around a drink was in order, this Clover Cocktail!

Fine Wine & Good Spirits sent me this really yummy spin on an Irish coffee called the Clover Cocktail, which is frozen instead of hot.

Ingredients (makes 1 serving; multiply as needed):

  • 1 oz. Irish whiskey
  • 1 oz. Baileys Irish Cream
  • 1 oz. Kahlúa
  • 1 oz. espresso
  • 1 cup ice (~6 ice cubes)
  • whipped cream
  • chocolate shavings

Continue reading Clover Cocktail

Bourbon Truffles

These Bourbon Truffles are another recipe I made for New Year’s Eve. I have actually made this a few times and have altered it slightly from the original Williams-Sonoma recipe to suit my tastes.

I lowered the amount of bourbon so that there is a hint to enhance the flavor of the chocolate without overpowering. (The first round of making these it was like taking a shot with every bite, whew!) I also kept having trouble with the coating (my chocolate kept seizing) so I’ve altered that a bit to make a smoother coating that’s easier to work with.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 6 oz. milk chocolate chips
  • 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
  • Cocoa powder for dusting

Coating:

  • 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
  • sprinkles, for garnish, if desired

Continue reading Bourbon Truffles

Brownie Petit Fours

Here’s another delicious dessert I made for New Years Eve – Brownie Petit Fours. (You can read about my New Years Eve party and get a recipe for Honey Citrus Champange Cupcakes here) The original BHG recipe included bourbon, but I already had Bourbon Truffles on the menu so I decided to go without it in this recipe.

I was a little wary of making these little guys, petit fours seem pretty difficult to make. But I was surprised with how simple it was to make these!

Ingredients:

  • BROWNIES
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons  coffee grounds (I measured them out from a k cup)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • MILK CHOCOLATE FROSTING & SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE GLAZE
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 11.25 ounce milk chocolate pieces
  • 16 ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces

Continue reading Brownie Petit Fours

Peanut Butter Cookies

I’m a bit late posting this cookie recipe after Christmas and all but who really gets upset about a cookie recipe?

For as long as I can remember, Peanut Butter Cookies have been a part of my Christmas celebrations. They are just the best. And luckily, they are really easy to make too!

This recipe is from Food Network and can be made in under 30 minutes; you don’t even have to refrigerate the dough before baking!

Ingredients (makes approximately 2 dozen cookies):

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 (4 oz) stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Continue reading Peanut Butter Cookies

Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles

I had a craving for a pumpkin treat this weekend so I went in search of a recipe I could make with stuff I already had on hand. I came across this recipe from Whole Foods for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles and was all set to make them as stated in the recipe. But I find white chocolate to be such a pain to work with and honestly, I don’t really like the taste.

So although the Whole Foods recipe is the inspiration for this post, my recipe is completely different. These pumpkin truffles are made with dark chocolate and are then rolled in toasted pecans to give it some crunch.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 Walkers Stem Ginger Shortbread cookies, crumbled
  • 3 Walkers Highlanders, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Continue reading Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles

Banana Split Cupcakes

The inspiration for this post is a bit convoluted. I was originally looking for some way to incorporate wet walnuts into a recipe for my dad. My dad is a huge fan of wet walnuts and he just had surgery so I wanted to make him a little pick-me-up treat. Wet walnuts are usually a topping on ice cream so I thought it would be fun to make a spin on a banana split in cupcake form. Later, I found out that Banana Splits do not traditionally even have wet walnuts as a topping. Oh well!

I used a banana cupcake recipe from Martha Stewart and filled each cupcake with homemade whipped cream. I then topped 1/3 of the cupcakes with vanilla frosting, 1/3 with strawberry frosting, and 1/3 with chocolate frosting. I topped them all off with sprinkles, wet walnuts, and maraschino cherries!

These are sugar overload so despite the photos showing all 3 types, stick to one cupcake at a time 🙂

INGREDIENTS:

Banana Cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes):

  • 1 ½ cups cake flour
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter (1 stick) melted
  • 4 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Whipped Cream Filling

  •  1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  •  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  •  1 tablespoon granulated sugar

 

Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups butter, softened
  •  6 cups powdered sugar, plus more if needed
  •  6 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed
  •  ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  •  Pinch salt
  •  ¼ cup strawberry jam
  •  ¼ cup cocoa powder

 

Wet Walnuts

  •  1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup agave
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

 

Toppings

  •  Maraschino cherries
  •  Wet walnuts
  •  Rainbow sprinkles

Continue reading Banana Split Cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

I personally am not vegan. But as more of my friends dabble in veganism, I have been getting more requests to do some vegan friendly recipes. I’m honestly finding vegan baking to be relatively easy; most of the substitute ingredients are already in my pantry!

I received a bag of One Degree Organics Sprouted Spelt Flour along with some vegan baking recipes that sounded really tasty! I have never made a vegan cookie before so I appreciated the nudge towards trying and decided to make some Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.

Sprouted Spelt Flour works generally like normal flour, you just need to adjust your dry-to-wet ingredient ratio (less dry ingredients or more wet ingredients). Sprouted Spelt Flour contains more fiber, vitamins, and essential fatty acids than regular flour so it seems like a generally good switch to make. (I’m not giving up eating cookies, but hey, at least I’ve increased my fiber!)  🙂

 

One Degree Organics prides itself on using only organic foods grown using natural veganic methods for its grains used in its cereal, bread, and flours. The company also does not add any synthetic ingredients and practices sustainable growing methods. One Degree Organics actually includes a QR code and alphanumeric code on each package so that you can learn about where that specific product came from and the family of farmers behind it. Pretty cool right?

 

So I was really excited to use their Sprouted Spelt Flour in this recipe! Because this is my first time baking vegan cookies, I kept the recipe mostly intact. I did add some walnuts for a bit of crunch which resulted in these Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cup One Degree Organic Sprouted Spelt Flour
  • ¼ cup Coconut Palm Sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla powder or extract
  • ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup walnut pieces

Continue reading Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

“Dirt” Flower Pots

“Dirt” cake reminds me of hot summers, barbecues, and outdoor eating. When I was a kid, I used to get so excited for dessert once I spotted the flower pot set out on checkered tablecloth with the other desserts. This “Dirt” Flower Pots dessert is really easy to make, requires no cooking, and looks just adorable. You can really dress it up with flowers, worms, or even mini Scottie dogs.

As a member of the Walkers Shortbread Ambassador program, I was sent packs of Walkers’ pure butter Scottie Dog Shortbread cookies, which help support the company’s sponsorship of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA). Walkers has recently launched a Chocolate version of the cookie as well. In 2012 (the original Scottie Shortbread was launched in January 2012, Walkers raised over $25,000 for the ASPCA. For 2013, the company has doubled its minimum donation amount to $50,000. Ten cents from the sale of every Scottie Dog Shortbread 3.9-ounce carton and 20 cents for larger cartons will be donated to the ASPCA.


To help spread the word about these cookies and their partnership, Walkers is giving away a Scottie Dog Tin! To enter, just use the widget below. Note: This Giveaway is now closed.

Source: walkersus.com

 

Now, back to the recipe.

 

Ingredients (serves 8, or makes 4 small flower pots):

  • 1 package of Oreos
  • 2 graham crackers (optional)
  • 2 packs of instant chocolate pudding
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 3 cups milk
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 8 oz whipped topping
  • 1 box of Walkers Scottie Dog Shortbread Cookies (Chocolate or Original)
  • Gummy worms (optional)

For decoration (optional):

  • small flower pots (I used 6 inch pots)
  • organic flowers, or fake flowers
  • straws

Continue reading “Dirt” Flower Pots

Peeps S’mores

Anyone else still have a house full of Peeps following Easter? Those poor little marshmallow leftovers are past even their somewhat stale crunchy stage and are just kind of hanging around at this point. So I decided it was about time to put them to good use. Peeps S’mores time!

Ever since I made the S’mores Milkshakes, I have had S’mores on my mind. So what better way to utilize a house full of sugar coated marshmallows than by making a batch of festive after-Easter Peeps S’mores?

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

  • 2 graham crackers, halved
  • 1 chocolate candy bar, halved (milk or dark, I prefer dark)
  • 2 Peeps

Continue reading Peeps S’mores

S’mores Shake

I am so excited to share this cookbook with you. It’s an entire cookbook dedicated to Milkshakes! I have a serious ice cream addition, so it should go without saying that I love milkshakes. Although I’m never one to turn down a simple chocolate or cookies and cream milkshake, this cookbook brings milkshakes to a completely different level. Malts & Milkshakes: 60 Recipes for Frosty, Creamy, Frozen Treats has everything from the classics, to modern flavors, and even boozy shakes. The Author, Autumn Martin, is the founder of Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery in Seattle, so she knows her desserts!

All of the recipes can be made using ingredients found in your supermarket, but it also includes recipes for making your own homemade ice cream if you’re feeling particularly fancy. There are so many inventive recipes in this book: eggnog, earl grey, salted caramel, and mango rose milk shakes to name a few. And those don’t even include the boozy milkshakes! My two favorite ones from that section: Chocolate Espresso Whiskey Malt and Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate Shake. This book is not messing around!

Another favorite was the S’mores Shake. Few things symbolize wonderful summer memories like S’mores. Chocolate, Marshmallow, and Graham Crackers sound like a perfect combination in a milkshake too! I changed the recipe up ever so slightly, but the general idea is still in tact.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 marshmallows, roasted
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
  • 6 scoops vanilla ice cream (~3 cups)
  • 2 scoops chocolate ice cream (~1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled graham crackers, plus more for garnish

Continue reading S’mores Shake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Happy Pi Day! As a Mathlete alum, Pi Day has always been a part of my nerdy math world.  And what better way to celebrate than to make a pie?

I have some other pie recipes on here, but I have had a hankering for peanut butter lately, so I am celebrating this year with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.  This is a FoodNetwork.com recipe but I decided to make my own crust (you are more than welcome to just buy one – use a 9-inch pie crust).

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

  • 1 package oreos
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Hot Fudge Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3.5 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

Peanut Butter Pie:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Chopped peanuts, optional
  • Whipped cream, optional
  • Crushed cookies, optional

Continue reading Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Dark Chocolate Lava Cakes

I like any excuse to brag about Philadelphia. I can’t help it, I’m proud of where I live. So I get even more excited when the bragging involves food. Recently, National Geographic named Teuscher Chocolates the Best Chocolate in the World. Teuscher hails from Zurich, Switzerland but we have our very own store here in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia actually has quite a chocolate history, we even used to have a Confectioner’s Row (N 3rd St in Old City in case you’re interested). Wilber Chocolate, Whittman’s, and even Hershey’s got their start in the Philadelphia confectionery scene. And many brands continue that tradition to this day, including Teuscher, located in the Bellevue.

To celebrate being the Best Chocolate in the World, Teuscher Philadelphia contacted a few of us local bloggers and offered to let us sample some of their chocolates. Honestly, who’s going to say no to that?!

You may have seen some of my Instagram photos about their chocolates. Every piece seemed to be better than the last. I was hoarding them, eating one a day, until they sadly were all gone. The house specialty is not to be missed: the Classic Champagne Truffle. Made with dark chocolate ganache coated in milk chocolate with some Dom Perginon champagne creme, these are little bites of happiness and luxury. They even have Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles! But their other choices really hold their own. The Chocolate Citrus Peels were amazing, but my ultimate favorite was the fleur de sel caramel. I cannot even put into words how good it was!

If that wasn’t enough to make me giddy, I also walked away with a bar of Teuscher’s Chocolate 99, a 99% chocolate bar that is somehow not overly bitter, perfect for baking. The chocolate has no chemicals, additives, or preservatives either.

To show off this beautiful chocolate, I decided to make Chocolate Lava Cakes, which are super easy to make and would impress any Valentine (hint hint). And because chocolate makes me feel oh so warm and fuzzy inside, I wanted to share some of this chocolatey goodness with one lucky reader! I am giving away an assorted box of Teuscher Chocolates! (More below)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 Chocolate 99 Baking Bars
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup flour

Continue reading Dark Chocolate Lava Cakes

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