Hot Chocolate Cake Roll

This was a BIG fail for me.  The cake came out ok, but it stuck to the towel and then I was never able to recover.  I think the pan was a little too big.  If I was ever to make it again, I would move down a pan size.  I wound up serving it as a truffle with chocolate cool whip and pudding.  But it was a bit too much for us.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• Unsweetened baking cocoa and powder sugar for rolling the cake
• Filling:
• 8 oz cream cheese
• ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ cup marshmallow fluff
• 1½ cups Cool Whip (in tub not can)
• 1½ cups mini marshmallows
• Topping:
• Chocolate syrup
• Mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line 17x11x1 pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil spray (make sure to get the sides too).
2. Beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes until thick and light yellow.
3. Slowly beat in granulated sugar.
4. Lower speed to low and add water and vanilla extract.
5. Still on low, slowly add flour, ¼ cup cocoa, the baking powder and salt. Beat just until batter is smooth.
6. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 7-8 minutes and do a toothpick test. Run a spatula around edges of the pan to loosen cake.
7. Generously sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with cocoa and powder sugar. Turn the cake pan upside down onto the towel. Carefully remove parchment paper. Trim off crusty edges if necessary.
8. While the cake is still hot, gently roll cake with the towel from narrow end (don't make it too tight and don't press.
9. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
10. While the cake is cooling, make frosting: Beat cream cheese with sugar on medium-high for about 2 minutes, until light and smooth. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and add marshmallow fluff. Beat until combined. On low speed, beat in Cool Whip just until combined. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and add marshmallows. Fold them in with a spatula until all incorporated.
11. Unroll cake carefully. Carefully, spread frosting all over the cake, leaving about an inch and a half one of the short ends.
12. Carefully roll the cake back up (starting with the side that has frosting) and place cake on the serving dish seam down.
13. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top off with some mini marshmallows.
14. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve!

http://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2014/12/hot-chocolate-cake-roll.html

Eggnog Truffles

These were ok, but I wasn't crazy about them.  I'm not a big fan of white chocolate and found them a bit too sweet.  I did both methods, one dipped in white chocolate and one dipped in powdered sugar. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup eggnog
• 2¾ cups crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, divided (I used Golden Oreos)
• 1 package vanilla candy melts or vanilla almond bark

 Instructions

1. Heat white chocolate chips and cream in the microwave for 1 - 1½ minutes.
2. Stir until smooth.
3. Mix in 2½ cups crushed cookies.
4. Place the bowl in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
5. Use a one tablespoon dough scoop to make even sized truffles.
6. Roll the truffles between your hands to make them into smooth balls.
7. Place on a parchment covered tray and freezer for 15 minutes to harden.
8. Dip the truffles into melted white chocolate.
9. Place the dipped truffles on a parchment covered tray and sprinkle immediately with the extra cookie crumbles before the white chocolate hardens.
10. One the coating is set, store the truffles in the fridge in covered container.

Notes

If you are pressed for time, coat the truffles with powdered sugar instead or dipping them.

 

http://www.thegunnysack.com/eggnog-truffles/

Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls

I made these dinner rolls on Thanksgiving and they were fabulous.  I made them in a 9 x 13 pan and made 24 rolls since I wanted them to be small.  I used whole milk and added 1 extra tbsp. of butter.  I'm not sure if the whole milk made a difference or not, but these just "melted" in your mouth.

Ingredients

1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup warm milk (100 – 110°F)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
4 1/2 cups (20 ounces) bread flour

Directions

Combine the water, milk, 1 tablespoon of the butter, eggs, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass. Attach the dough hook to the mixer, turn to medium-low speed, and gradually add the remaining flour, kneading until a mass of dough begins to forms. Continue kneading on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until a soft, smooth ball of dough is formed. The dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.
Lightly spray a large clean bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature or until the dough is big, puffy, and about doubled in size.
Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Gently deflate the dough. Use a bench scraper, knife, or pizza wheel to divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place in the prepared pan. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Lightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes, or until about doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm. Store leftovers in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.

http://www.handletheheat.com/ultimate-dinner-rolls/

French Bread

They took my favorite recipe off allrecipes.com but luckily I still have.  I made this this weekend with a couple new trips in the mix.  It turned out great.

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups water (70° to 80°)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• GLAZE:
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, optional

Directions

• 1.In bread machine pan, place the first five ingredients in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).
• 2. When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal.  I did not divide in half.  I made one large loaf. 
• 3. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaves seam side down on prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes.
• 4. Whisk egg and water; brush over loaves. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. I preheated my stone and baked on a cookie sheet on the stove at 450 for approx. 20 minutes (watch it though because it did get brown).  I put a small bowl in the lower shelf of the oven filled with water.  The crust was crispy and bread soft inside.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).

Irish Soda Bread

Definetely a winner - the best soda bread I've made.  I replaced the raisins with craisins.  I had to add a little buttermilk to get the dough all to come together. 

Irish Soda Bread I [from allrecipes.com]

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1 pint sour cream 1 cup raisins

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
2.	Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, sour cream and raisins and mix until just combined. Distribute batter evenly between the two pans.
3.	Bake loaves at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Tres Leche Cake

Many people have been talking about Tres Leche Cake so Jeff asked me to make one.  He loved this as did his friends.  I wasn't crazy about the densness of the cake.

Tres Leche Cake - from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar, Divided
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1 can Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• _____
• FOR THE ICING:
• 1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.
Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.
Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.
Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.
Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

These went over VERY well at my house.  Jeff's already asking to make them again - and BOTH kids ate them.  I will definetely be making them again.  I halved the recipe for the marshmallow filling.

Chocolate Whoopie Pie recipe with a butter and marshmallow cream filling.

Author: Cookie Madness

 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour (7.9 oz)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup light brown sugar (7 oz)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Filling:

• 2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 (7 oz) container marshmallow cream
• 2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Don’t use cooking spray or anything very slippery because it might cause the cookies to spread.
2. Thoroughly mix together flour through cocoa and set aside
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and shortening until creamy, then add the sugar and beat until well mixed. Beat in the vanilla, then add the egg and beat until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl often.
4. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately, stirring with a heavy duty scraper, until batter is smooth and thick.
5. Drop batter by generously heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets spacing about 2 inches apart (I usually can fit 12 per sheet on a 13x18 inch tray). Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are puffed, slightly cracked and set. Let cool on baking sheets for about five minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack.
6. FILLING: Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Stir in marshmallow cream and beat until fully mixed in. Spoon between cookies.
7. Wrap the cookies in plastic wrap (Press and Seal works really well).