Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cocoa
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
powdered sugar


In a large mixer bowl combine sugar and oil. add cocoa; blend well. beat in eggs and vanilla. combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. add to cocoa mixture, blending well. chill at least 6 hours in the refrigerator {or 1 hour in the freezer} to allow dough to firm up. if you don't allow it to chill it's a sticky mess. heat oven to 350 degrees. shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll into confectioners' sugar. place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touching. remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack.

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

This is yet another recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  She's kind of amazing and you can pretty much always trust her recipes to turn out excellent.  These cookies are HIGHLY addictive - the chocolate/peppermint combo always is for me - and look pretty to boot.  They are definitely going onto the list of "must make" recipes over the Christmas season each year (and are likely to get made at other times of the year as well, if I'm being honest).

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (8 ounces) butter, cool room temperature (not warm or overly soft!)
3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs (3.5 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (3 ounces) crushed or finely chopped Andes mints (see note above)
Additional 1/2 cup or so crushed or finely chopped Andes mints for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar together until well-mixed, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just combined (it's ok if there are a few dry streaks). Mix in the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup crushed Andes mints until combined and no dry streaks remain.
6. Scoop the dough and shape into heaping tablespoon-sized balls (I use a #40 cookie scoop) and gently roll the tops into the additional crushed mints, pressing lightly into the plate or bowl of crushed mints so they stick to the top of the cookie dough ball.
7. Place a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-11 minutes (watch closely and don't overbake; the edges will be set with soft middles).
8. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

How to Temper Chocolate: Seeding Method

I adore chocolate-covered strawberries.  But they are so expensive!  I have seen them priced around $4 dollars for just one strawberry even.  So I figured, why not learn how to make them myself?  I have attempted chocolate dipped treats in the past using a method where you melt chocolate chips with a little shortening and it is sort of okay, but definitely nowhere close to the quality of chocolate you would get from a real chocolatier at a fine candy store.  And I'm kind of a snob when it comes to chocolate.  

I also put myself in charge of teaching how to make chocolate-dipped strawberries as part of our Relief Society Valentine's Day themed activity, so, you know, I kind of sort of had to learn.  

Properly tempered chocolate sets with a nice, slightly glossy and smooth finish and has a nice snap to the chocolate.  And it doesn't need to be refrigerated for it to set up.  Improperly tempered, lower quality chocolate used for dipping (like using chocolate chips for melting) will result in a softer, chewy set with no snap.  

So, here's what you do to properly temper chocolate.  Start with good quality chocolate, either in block form or wafers.  Trader Joe's sells 1 lb. blocks of dark or milk chocolate that are excellent at a very good price of $5/block.  Be cautious about buying "melting wafers" from the craft store - often they aren't very quality chocolate to begin with and the white candy melts are just that - candy melts and not chocolate at all.  You can also order your chocolate at numerous places online to get good quality chocolate.  Amazon has many good options if there isn't a Trader Joe's nearby.  

All my research stated that it is best to melt at least 1 pound of a chocolate at a temper as it is easier to temper and maintain temper in a pound of chocolate than in smaller amounts.  You start by chopping 3/4 of your total chocolate into small bits, reserving 1/4 of the chocolate block in bar form for later.    

Next, put your chopped chocolate into a clean, dry (it MUST be dry - any water will cause the chocolate to seize and clump) bowl and set it over a pan of hot water.  I brought my pan of water up to a simmer and then turned off the heat so it would be hot but no longer simmering and definitely not boiling for this step.  Then I carefully set my bowl right down into the water, making sure that the water didn't come close to the rim of my bowl, and then just let it sit for a while, allowing the chocolate to melt about halfway before any stirring.  I also saw methods where you microwaved the chocolate at short intervals, stirring in between, or putting the chocolate in a double boiler, but I like the glass bowl set directly in the hot water method best.

When the chocolate is about halfway melted, using a dry rubber spatula to stir the chocolate, helping it to continue melting.  I took the bowl out of the water first and set it on a dry towel on the counter to make sure I didn't slosh any water into it.  Then place the bowl back into the hot water and allow the chocolate to continue melting until it is completely melted, stirring periodically as necessary.

Once the chocolate is completely melted, use a digital thermometer to check the temperature of the chocolate, watching closely until it reaches 115 degrees F (for dark chocolate) or 110 degrees F (for milk or white chocolate).  The chocolate should not go over this temperature or you risk burning it, which is why a thermometer is so crucial.

At this point, remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the hot water and add the reserved 1/4 chunk of chocolate to your bowl or melted chocolate, stirring gently and almost constantly to melt the big chunk.  You can sort of scrape it and agitate it with your spatula to incorporate it into the melted chocolate.  The warm chocolate will melt the block of chocolate and the block of chocolate will help gently bring down the temperature of the warm chocolate.  Adding a block of properly tempered chocolate and continuous stirring encourages the formation of the proper crystalline structure necessary for properly tempered chocolate.  I know, sounds weird and hokey, but I saw this explanation over and over and it is one of those science of baking things that are kind of cool to know.

Continue to stir and cool the chocolate, taking its temperature periodically, until the chocolate reaches 90 degrees F (for dark chocolate) or 87 degrees F (for milk or white chocolate).  At this point, you can test the chocolate's temper by smearing a small amount of your melted, tempered chocolate on a piece of parchment or waxed paper and watching to see if it sets properly.  If you tempered everything correctly, your smear of chocolate should begin to set within juts a few minutes.  It will start to lose its shine and take on a slightly more matte look, then begin to set around the edges.  In a cool room, properly tempered chocolate will set within about 4-6 minutes.  Don't be tempted to stick your chocolate in the fridge to speed things up because that won't actually tell you whether your chocolate has been tempered properly.  If it doesn't seem to be properly tempered, continue to stir and cool the chocolate another 1-2 degrees, then test it again.  If it looks to be properly tempered, remove any remaining chunks of chocolate from your reserved 1/4 block if it hasn't melted completely and just set it to the side (you can reuse it and melt it again later).  Or just pop it in your mouth while you proceed to dip your strawberries.

Now your chocolate is tempered and ready for dipping and coating!  You can dip clean, dry (make sure they are totally dry!) strawberries, truffle centers, almonds - whatever you want!  While dipping, you need to keep your tempered chocolate warm, by stirring it with your spatula periodically and watching its temperature.  If it falls down in the 85 degree range, set your bowl of melted, tempered chocolate back in the hot water for 1-3 seconds (seriously, it doesn't take very long) to let the chocolate at the bottom of the bowl warm up a bit, then stir it again to mix the warm chocolate from the bottom with the cooler chocolate on top.  But don't let the chocolate go up over 90 degrees or you will need to start the tempering process over again!

I dipped my strawberries into the tempered chocolate, then gently scraped the bottom back into the bowl to remove some of the excess chocolate so it wouldn't puddle at the base of each strawberry on the parchment-lined baking sheet.  When you finish dipping all the strawberries (or truffle centers or whatever you are dipping), you can pour the remaining tempered chocolate onto parchment paper and allow it to set back into a block form and store it in a cool, dry place to be used the next time you want to temper chocolate.  Or you can pour it over some raw almonds or other nuts to make yourself a delicious chocolate bar, because why waste your perfectly tempered chocolate?

I looked at a number of tutorials, sites, and recipe books when figuring out this process, but the two that were most helpful and that I followed most closely are here and here.  The first site even has a video explanation of the process I set out above.

Best Fudgy Brownies

One of Paul’s all-time favorite desserts is a brownie sundae with hot fudge. I like my brownies loaded with walnuts and served with a tall glass of cold milk. This recipe doubles easily to make a 9x13-inch pan if you need brownies for a crowd.

Best Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar (half granulated, half brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (this will give the brownies a glossy, crackly crust)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

• 1
  Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Lightly grease with cooking spray and set aside.
• 2
  Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring in between, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set the mixture aside until it cools slightly (is warm to the touch not hot). It will look gritty but it will become smooth once the other ingredients are added.
• 3
  Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
• 4
  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. After the brownies are cooled completely, I like to throw the pan in the refrigerator - cold brownies cut much easier and taste heavenly. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.

Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes

 

Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes

Cupcake

3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/3 cup unsweetend cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)

3/4 cup hot water

3/4 cup bread flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil

2 large eggs

2 tsp white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

Filling and Topping

 

1 1/4 cups cherry pie filling, store bought or homemade

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Finely chopped chocolate or real chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl, then pour hot water over chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through chilling, until cooled (or 10 in freezer stirring once).

 

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture into oil mixture and stir until well combined, then add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

 

Divide batter evenly among 12 paper lined muffin cups (about 1/4 cup in each). Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 17 - 19 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool in baking tin several minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

 

Cut a hole in the centers of each cupcake (big enough to fit 1 1/2 Tbsp filling, mine was slightly heaping out the top). Add about 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp cherry pie filling to holes in cupcakes.

 

In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Pipe whipped cream over cupcakes then top each with a cherry and garnish with finely chopped chocolate or sprinkles. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator, allow to rest at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.

Andes Mint Cookies

I love the combination of mint and chocolate and as a kid always looked forward to my very own package of Andes mints in my Christmas stocking each year.  And then I discovered that you could buy packages of chopped Andes mints in the baking aisle right by the chocolate chips.  These cookies come from the recipe on the back of the package of chopped Andes mints and they are wonderfully delicious.  Definitely a favorite cookie of ours.

Andes Mint Cookies

2 2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 package (10 oz.) Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter until light. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time.  Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Add the Andes mint chips and then add the flour mixture gradually and mix just until the dough is incorporated. Wrap the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour (or not - I always skip this step).  Roll into small balls and flatten slightly on a baking sheet for uniformly round cookies or just scoop and drop them with a spoon, which is fine too.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown and the centers are still soft.