Bakery Style Double Chocolate Chip Muffin

  

Do you ever have one of those days when you’re really in the mood for chocolate cake, but you don’t want to trouble yourself to make chocolate cake? Yesterday that was me. Chocolate cake seemed like so much trouble because chocolate cake always begs for chocolate frosting, more specifically chocolate buttercream frosting, and I had neither the time nor inclination. As a consequence, I pulled out my file of chocolate recipes (Doesn’t everyone have a file of chocolate recipes?) and came upon this one. It sounded easy enough, it didn’t call for any special equipment, most importantly, I didn’t have to trouble myself to get out a stand or hand mixer.  I altered the recipe a tiny bit — in my opinion all chocolate recipes require espresso powder to really amp up that deep chocolate taste. I also like the slightly larger dark chocolate chips because, well, who doesn’t want more chocolate?

These are delicious! Be sure to make them using the tulip baking cups because that allows you to use a 12-well muffin tin, but get larger muffins. They’ll turn out perfectly, and look how pretty they are.

Bakery Style Double Chocolate Chip Muffin

Adapted from momlovesbaking.com

2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

½ t. salt

½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. espresso powder

1¼ c. Nestle’s 53% cacao dark chocolate chips

2 large eggs, room temperature

¾ c. sour cream

½ c. vegetable oil

1 c. milk

1 t. pure vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 12-count muffin pan with tulip style cupcake liners; set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and espresso powder until thoroughly combined. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips; set aside.

 In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, milk and vanilla until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir until combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Use the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips to add a few on top of each muffin before baking. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F; reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Muffins taste best served fresh on the same day, but you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake

  

This is a recipe that I have wanted to try for a long time, but never so much as after I tried the new Java Chip Oreos. If you haven’t tried those, you absolutely must! They are so good. The chocolate cookie with java filling and crunchy toffee bits is cookie perfection. Naturally, you can make this recipe as originally written, with plain Oreos, but why would you do it when Java Chip Oreos are available?

Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake

Slightly adapted from beyondfrosting.com

FOR THE CAKE

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1½ c. heavy whipping cream

1 t. vanilla extract

1 c. powdered sugar

2 T. cocoa powder

1 t. espresso powder

24 Java Chip Oreos, crushed

1 box (14.4 oz) chocolate graham crackers

 FOR THE TOPPING:

1¾ c. heavy whipping cream

1¼ c. powdered sugar

Hershey’s Syrup, for drizzle

6 Java Chip Oreos, crushed

 Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Align the chocolate graham crackers in the bottom of the pan, cutting crackers as needed to fit, but the more large/whole pieces you have, the better structure they will provide.

 Place the Oreos in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or another heavy object to crush, not pulverize, the Oreos; set aside.

 Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes until it is completely smooth. Add ¼ cup of the heavy whipping cream and beat until the cream cheese resembles a liquid mixture. Then add remaining heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed. Once the mixture reach soft peaks. Then add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the crushed Oreos to the chocolate mousse until well incorporated.

 Divide the chocolate Oreo mousse in half. Spread half of the mousse over the bottom layer of graham crackers. It helps if you hold the graham crackers in place with your fingers if they are sliding around. Next, add a second layer of graham crackers and spread the remaining mousse. Finally, add the third and final layer of the graham crackers.

 FOR THE TOPPING

Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream at medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Frost the top with a thin layer of whipping cream, and then pipe a border around the outside edge.

 Cover this with aluminum foil and freeze for 2 to 4 hours or you can choose to keep this in the refrigerator, but allow at least 4 hours for the graham crackers to soften.

Prior to serving, remove the icebox cake from the freezer and allow it to thaw for 20 minutes. Crush 6 Oreos and sprinkle over top of the cake. Drizzle Hershey’s Syrup over the Oreos.

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Walnut Crunch

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Let’s face facts. It’s hard to find something new by way of a green salad. We’ve all had various combinations of salad greens tossed with various combinations of vegetables and fruits. What makes a salad different and special is that little extra something, as in this case with the walnut crunch. It takes your already tasty fresh salad over the top, changing it from every day, to a special day. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Walnut Crunch

Fresh baby spinach
Fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and quartered
Walnut Crunch (recipe below)
Raspberry Vinaigrette (recipe below)

To make walnut crunch:

1 large egg white, room temperature
¼ c. packed dark brown sugar

½ t. espresso powder
Pinch of kosher salt
1 c. walnut pieces, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper; set aside. You can also line your pan with foil, and spray the foil with PAM.

Whisk egg white with sugar, espresso powder, and salt in a medium bowl until blended. Fold in walnuts until coated. Spread mixture into your prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until dry to the touch. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Lift with metal spatula and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container on the counter. Keeps for 10 to 14 days.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

¼ c. canola oil
¼ c. raspberry balsamic vinegar
3 T. granulated sugar
1 t. Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt
Few gratings freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of dried oregano

Method #1: Place sauce ingredients into a mini ninja blender. Pulse until emulsified.

Method #2: Place all ingredients EXCEPT the oil into a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until blended. Continue to whisk as you slowly pour in the oil. Whisk until emulsified. Drizzle over salad.

 

 

Chocolate Espresso Pound Cake

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I have an addiction to decorative Nordic Ware loaf pans. I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is. I just can’t resist those fabulous designs, and now that I have discovered the wonders of Baker’s Joy baking release spray, there’s just no stopping me! Over the weekend I spent a good bit of time in the kitchen, and decided it was time to break that pan in. I did so with this recipe, a combination of a number of pound cake recipes I’ve made in the past. It is dense and chocolaty, and so delicious. Feel free to stir in a half cup of mini chocolate chips (tossed with a tablespoon of flour) if you want it to be extra chocolaty. You could also drizzle it with icing or ganache. I like it plain with a lovely dusting of powdered sugar.

Chocolate Espresso Pound Cake

2 t. espresso powder

 T. hot water

½ c. buttermilk

3 sticks of butter, room temperature

1¼ c. granulated sugar

3 large eggs

½ T. vanilla

½ t. kosher salt

½ t. baking powder

¼ c. + 2 T. cocoa powder

1 c. flour 

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325° F. Spray a 5” x 9” loaf pan (I used this gorgeous one) with Baker’s Joy; set aside.

In a small bowl dissolve espresso powder in hot water. Stir into buttermilk; set aside.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5-6 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder, and mix until combined.

With mixer on low add flour and buttermilk mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool 20 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if using a beautiful Nordic Ware decorative pan like I did, or drizzle with icing or ganache.

Dark Chocolate Cookies with Salted Caramel

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Despite the fact that I REALLY like them, it’s not often that I feel like baking cookies. But, there is something about the Christmas season that not only puts me in the mood to bake, but extends my interest beyond my usual “glop and plop” to something a little more intricate.

This recipe from Sprinkle Bakes is not only flavorful, but rolls out like a dream. I did not need to flour my cutting board (I did roll out on a Silpat, as I always do), nor did I need to flour my marble rolling pin. They roll beautifully, don’t stick, took the design from my new Williams-Sonoma cookie cutters quite well, and have a rich, dark chocolate taste.

It was suggested in this recipe that the caramel be piped onto the cookies. Unless you are really good (and exceptionally fast) with a piping bag, my suggestion is that you use a small spoon. I tried it both ways, and using the spoon and letting the caramel just flow onto the cookies was far less stressful. Using the bag, I ended up with the caramel setting up in the piping bag, needing to employ various methods to try to warm it up, none of which particularly worked.

Dark Chocolate Cookies with Salted Caramel

Slightly adapted from Sprinkle Bakes

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
t. fine grain sea salt
½ c. unsweetened dark cocoa powder

¼ t. espresso powder
1 cup (5oz.) caramel bits or 24 caramel squares (unwrapped)
1 tablespoon water
Flake sea salt for garnish

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix well.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, fine grain salt, dark cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms (it should not be sticky). Note: If the dough isn't coming together, raise speed and add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Again, the dough should not be sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Dust cookie stamps with cocoa powder before cutting, or use 2.5-inch round cookie cutters and press and indention into the center of the cookies with your thumb. (You may also roll the dough into balls and indent with a thumb for a more traditional thumbprint cookie.) Place the cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheets and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pans 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, Place the caramel bits and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Caramel will be hot, so let cool until warm but still pourable. Transfer the caramel to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a small hole cut in a corner. Fill cookies with the caramel and immediately sprinkle with flake sea salt. Let the cookies stand until the caramel firms. Once completely firm, the caramel will be opaque and lose its shine.

Store cookies in an airtight container.

Yields about 30 cookies

NO CHURN Tiramisu Ice Cream

Some time ago I bought a couple of boxes of ladyfingers to use to make individual tiramisu. Then I lost the recipe. I put those two boxes into the freezer downstairs, and then the freezer went out. So, I brought those boxes upstairs and stared at them for a while, and then decided to make tiramisu ice cream. I just tasted it. Oh, my heavens! You are going to want to try this. Quick, easy, and positively sinful!

NO CHURN Tiramisu Ice Cream

2 c. whipping cream
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 T. espresso powder
1 T. Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
1 T. hot water
1 T. brandy
1 t. vanilla extract
½ c. crushed Ladyfingers
¼ c. roughly chopped milk chocolate

Beat cream on medium speed using the whisk attachment of your stand or handheld mixer until stiff peaks form. Lower the speed and slowly pour in the condensed milk. Turn speed to medium/high and whip until mixture is thick and stiff peaks have formed a second time.

In a small bowl or custard cup, place espresso powder and cocoa, and stir together. Pour hot water over the top and stir to dissolve. To this mixture add brandy and vanilla extract; set aside.

Add coffee/cocoa mixture and mix on medium speed until uniformly tan in color. Fold in crushed ladyfingers and chopped chocolate.

Pour into a 1½-quart container, seal, and freeze for six hours or overnight.

Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving, if desired.

PRINT RECIPE

Chocolate lovers will enjoy this “no churn” variety, Billie’s Chocolate Ice Cream.

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Snowy Day Cookies

On Wednesday I shared my Snowy Day table setting, an easy switchover from the simple Valentine's Day setting of a couple of days prior. On that table sat a plate of aptly named “Snowy Day Cookies.”  Some of you may have recognized them as a popular holiday cookie that goes by various names from Snowballs to Pecan Balls to Mexican Wedding Cakes and/or Mexican Wedding Cookies. Others of you may have said to yourselves, “Is she thawing out some old cookies from Christmas?”  Even the notion!  No. They were fresh, and with a fresh spin. This is a cookie that I love. This is a cookie that should be enjoyed year round. This is a cookie that, because of its simplicity, can be tweaked a bit to give it an entirely different taste. I was in a tweaking mood, so I gave mine a tiny bit of extra flavor with a pinch of espresso powder and a bit of cinnamon. They were positively addicting. That stack of cookies went down throughout the day, but no one would admit to eating any. I did see powdered sugar trails, however, and was able to easily identify the culprit. Time to make more!

Snowy Day Cookies

1 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cups finely chopped pecans

Confectioners' sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Cream butter and granulated sugar. Gently mix in flour, cinnamon, espresso powder, and pecans.  Form into balls about 1" to 1-1/2" in diameter, and place on ungreased cookie sheets spacing about 2" apart.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and roll each ball in powdered sugar while still hot, and then a second time when cool.  Makes about 2 dozen.

This post is linked to:

Create It Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Friday Finds