Hot Chocolate Cookies

 Hot Chocolate Cookies 

In honor of National Hot Chocolate Day, I made hot chocolate cookies.

• 1 1/2 cups (191 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (32 grams) hot chocolate mix**
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (170 grams) milk chocolate chips
• 8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet chocolate, cut into 20 equal pieces
• 10 large marshmallows, cut in half

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until well-combined and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed gradually add the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Chill for about 1 hour, or until the dough is no longer sticky.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
4. Using a spoon or spring-loaded scoop, drop 1 1/2-tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top each cookie with a piece of semisweet chocolate and 1 marshmallow half, cut side up. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 4 minutes, or until the marshmallow begins to melt slightly. Use a kitchen torch to toast the tops of the marshmallows. Alternatively, place the cookies under the broiler for about 30 seconds to toast the marshmallows. Be careful as the marshmallows can go from toasted to burnt very quickly!
6. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Cookies are best served the day they are made due to the marshmallow but may be stored in an airtight container in one flat layer for up to 3 days
   1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
   2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until well-combined and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed gradually add the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Chill for about 1 hour, or until the dough is no longer sticky.
   3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
   4. Using a spoon or spring-loaded scoop, drop 1 1/2-tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
   5. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top each cookie with a piece of semisweet chocolate and 1 marshmallow half, cut side up. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 4 minutes, or until the marshmallow begins to melt slightly. Use a kitchen torch to toast the tops of the marshmallows. Alternatively, place the cookies under the broiler for about 30 seconds to toast the marshmallows. Be careful as the marshmallows can go from toasted to burnt very quickly!
   6. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
   7. Cookies are best served the day they are made due to the marshmallow but may be stored in an airtight container in one flat layer for up to 3 days

      

      
      

Chocolate Cake

 Happy National Chocolate Cake Day

This cake would have been great except the ad in the middle of the recipe made me miss the sugar.   The frosting was great.  I may try again tomorrow.

https://myrecipeconfessions.com/desserts/ultimate-homemade-chocolate-cake/?utm_term=chocolate+cake&utm_campaign=5162425013&epik=dj0yJnU9eFA2MHM0MkxCY01yWFZVbVZnb0RMNm5xTUJPT2RQQl8mcD0wJm49bDhNQUxLNDRFVjljQTdnc0JqSndzUSZ0PUFBQUFBR0FTSWhv

Ultimate Homemade Chocolate Cake

1 3/4 cups of granulated sugar

1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup of dutch processed cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder

1/4 tsp. of baking soda

1 tsp. of salt

2 eggs, at room temp.

1 cup of milk, at room temp.

1 /2 cup of canola oil

1 tbsp. of vanilla

3 tbsp. of sour cream

1 cup of hot coffee

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in bowl. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and sour cream together.
2.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the hot coffee to the cake batter and mix in by hand until well combined.
4. Pour the batter into the well greased pan/pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached. *baking time depends on the pan you use.

-For Layer Cake- use three 9 inch pans- bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes, then turn pans over on a cooling rack and cool completely. Frost cake with chocolate truffle frosting. * I double the frosting recipe when making a layer cake.

-For a 9×13 pan– bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it.

Chocolate Truffle Frosting

*double the frosting recipe when making the layer cake.

1/2 cup of butter, softened

2 cups of powder sugar

3/4 cup of cocoa

3/4 cup of heavy creamy

2 tsp. of vanilla

Instructions

1. Whip the butter until creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.

I doubled the frosting recipe and used 8 inch pans.

UPDATE

Much better when you add all the ingredients 🤫.

Peanut Brittle

 1/26 was Peanut Brittle Day

This came out great but you need to watch it as I only cooked it for half the time.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
Dash salt
1-½ cups shelled raw peanuts
1 Tablespoon butter
1-½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Heavily butter a baking dish that has been covered with foil. **If you can't get microwave-safe foil, use parchment paper

2. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 9 Inch square casserole dish then stir in the peanuts.

**Please note, if the dish is too large for your microwave, you can make this in batches with a dish that suits the capacity of your microwave.

3. Microwave at 100% until light brown, 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout cooking time. May take longer depending upon your microwave.

https://lovefoodies.com/microwave-peanut-brittle/?epik=dj0yJnU9NFZDcGFMSzFreldYOVRTUy1Bd0ZKdEZmMVMtMlpBejYmcD0wJm49dDNOUG5WVHltdnNFdEY0Ry02cFFUQSZ0PUFBQUFBR0FTSklB

4. Stir in remaining ingredients until light and foamy. Quickly spread on greased foil in pan. Spread as thinly as possible for brittle candy.

5. Cool then break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
Dash salt
1-½ cups shelled raw peanuts
1 Tablespoon butter
1-½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Heavily butter a baking dish that has been covered with foil. **If you can't get microwave-safe foil, use parchment paper

2. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 9 Inch square casserole dish then stir in the peanuts.

**Please note, if the dish is too large for your microwave, you can make this in batches with a dish that suits the capacity of your microwave.

3. Microwave at 100% until light brown, 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout cooking time. May take longer depending upon your microwave.

4. Stir in remaining ingredients until light and foamy. Quickly spread on greased foil in pan. Spread as thinly as possible for brittle candy.

5. Cool then break into pieces and store in an airtight container.