Tag: chocolate

Chocolate Cake Cheesecake

Chocolate Cake Cheesecake

Its Rich’s Birthday – welcome to his birthday cake for his 2011 version of getting a year older!

Chocolate Peanut Butter layer celebration cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter layer celebration cake

“The best gifts come from the heart” This “gift cake” was made for Rich’s mother for her birthday. I knew she loved Chocolate & Peanut Butter so when I came across this cake – I knew I had found the winner! And then when I started 

BACON Chocolate Chip Cookies

BACON Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my “sunshine on a cloudy day”. Because today, March 23, 2011 we had our second snow day of the week and almost 6 inches of “snowball snow” fall outside my window! I decided to make myself a breakfast skittle breakfast (you know: potato, meat & egg) and wanted to finally use the bacon I had in the fridge and cook it all up at the same time (since I HATE cooking bacon). Usually when I cook up a whole package of bacon I just freeze the cooked bacon in a baggie so its there when I want some. Today was different though: I wanted to bring that sunshine to Rich when he got home since he had to work today and decided to make him some chocolate chip cookies. We all know how much Rich loves that Cookie Dough – but I decided to something unthinkable and cook that dough (with some bacon mixed in)!

These are one of those Heaven on Earth type things… we all love bacon & we all love chocolate (even though we all try to deny ourselves those loves).

Happy Wednesday & Happy Spring

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

RECIPE (from Everything Nice)

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
  • 1 cup [Candied] Bacon (to candy: check this out – I just used regular)

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease OR line with parchment paper several baking sheets.

Beat the sugars and butter together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Mix together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter.  Stir in the chocolate chunks and bacon bits.

Using a small cookie scoop (teaspoon), scoop the cookie dough into small balls, about 1-inch in diameter, and place them 2 inches apart on each of the baking sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until pale golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

… and remember: all good things in moderation. Do not deny yourself the things that you love – just enjoy them in moderation!!

BROWNIES – 2 ways

BROWNIES – 2 ways

Everyone LOVES brownies… seriously, what is not to love!? I have recently baked up two different brownies for people that I care a lot about.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

“Sweet and Spicy” – that explains me pretty well. I try to be sweet and do things for others, but I’m stubborn and don’t take garbage from anyone so I guess that I can be called pretty spicy usually too, and we wonder why I love those two flavors, haha! Enough about me – prepare to get into the kitchen for the best of both worlds!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Happy Valentines Day (weekend)

Oh, the things we do for love! I had off on Friday to go to the dentist so knew I would have some kitchen time if I wanted and earlier in the week had come across this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (and then found a whole bunch more that were exactly the same and all got rave reviews!). Rich is a HUGE fan of cookie dough (remember when he got accepted to Lehigh!?), so I knew that this was what I was doing for him for Valentines Day!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Warning: these cupcakes are not low calorie OR quick and easy – but Rich’s reaction to them made it all worth it! Feel free to take some time and do these over two days or even substitute your favorite cupcake recipe (Rich loved these cakes – I like a less dense cake – so try as written first or just wing it… up to you)

Recipe

For the cupcakes:

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature
  • 1½ cups light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupckae pan with 24 liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:

  • 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about a half hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

For the frosting:

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3½ cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk  (I used at least an extra tablespoon compared to this recipe) and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired and sprinkle with mini-chocolate chips. Store on the counter or in the fridge (fresher if kept in the fridge) and then you decide if you like them cold or room temperature!