Easy Chocolate Ice Cream Soda

1/4 CUP MILK
3 TABLESPOONS CHOCOLATE SYRUP
ICE CREAM (chocolate or vanilla)
CLUB SODA

IN A TALL GLASS, STIR MILK AND CHOCOLATE SYRUP UNTIL WELL BLENDED. ADD 2 SCOOPS ICE CREAM, FILL WITH CHILLED CLUB SODA.

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Coffee Brownies

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons finely ground espresso beans
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 12-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.Combine the chocolate, butter, coffee, and salt in the top of a double boiler or bowl over simmering water. Cook until melted and smooth. Let cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until well combined. Fold in the flour until it just until disappears. Gently fold in the pecans. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a rack 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and cut into squares. Lift out and transfer to serving dish or tin. Makes about 20 bars.

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Almond Macaroon Brownies

3/4 cup butter
4 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 3/4 cups sugar, divided use
5 large eggs
2 cups chopped toasted almonds, divided use
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided use
1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups angel flake coconut
2 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with foil and grease lightly. Place butter and unsweetened baking chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium for 2 minutes, or until melted and smooth; stir every 30 seconds. Whisk in 2 cups sugar and 3 of the eggs. Stir in 1 cup almonds and 1 cup flour until well blended. Spread in prepared pan; set aside.
Beat cream cheese with remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 2eggs and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Stir in coconut and remaining 1 cup almonds until well blended. Carefully spread over first layer in baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares and remove from pan. Melt semi-sweet chocolate in microwave on medium for 2 minutes; stir every 30 seconds. Drizzle individual brownies with melted chocolate. Makes 24 bars.
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Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/4 cups boiling water

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons of cocoa into a 1-1/2 quart baking pan or casserole dish. Stir together the melted butter, water, and vanilla. Pour into dry ingredients, add the nuts and mix well. Add the 1/4 cup of cocoa powder remaining to the brown sugar and combine, then sprinkle over the batter mixture. Slowly pour the boiling water over the top of the batter in a thin stream. It is important not to stir at this point. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

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Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe

1 box yellow or butter cake mix
1 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk
1 bottle red coloring
1 stick butter
3 eggs
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. vinegar

Mix cake mix and cocoa. Add vanilla, color, butter, eggs and milk, blend until moistened. Then beat for 2 minutes. Mix in small cup soda and vinegar. Add to cake batter and beat 1 1/2 minutes at medium speed. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

NOTE: You may frost this cake with a store bought cream cheese or white frosting. If you want to make your own frosting…we have included a cream cheese frosting recipe.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 box powdered sugar
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp. cream, if needed for easy spreading

Slice cake layers in half and frost, stacking cut sides against baked sides. (I find it easier to slice layers if I put in freezer for about 5 to 6 minutes.) Frost tops and sides.

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Basic Chocolate Truffle Recipe

8 oz dark sweet chocolate
1 c. heavy cream, room temperature

Chocolate Coating:

16 oz. dark sweet chocolate
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Making the Ganache:

To prepare ganache, chop or grate chocolate into small pieces. Place in top half of double boiler along with cream. Put hot (not boiling) water in bottom half of a double boiler, making sure the water doesn’t touch the top pan. Stir often with wooden spoon. When all of the chocolate has melted, beat until well combined. Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature. Transfer to covered bowl and refrigerate
overnight to harden. (Ganache will keep in this state for a few days if necessary.)

Take a little ganache at a time and form 1″ balls, using fingertips (with as little contact as possible so the chocolate doesn’t soften). Keep unused portion refrigerated as you work. Place balls on waxed paper-lined baking sheet; continue until ganache is used up. Refrigerate baking sheet until ganache is hardened, overnight or up to two days. Allow to set in refrigerator at least two hours before loosely covering with waxed paper.*

*Foil can be substituted in all cases for waxed paper, but never use clear plastic wrap. It clings too tightly to the candies and traps moisture inside which discolors the chocolate.

Prepare Chocolate Coating:

Chop or grate chocolate into small pieces. Heat chocolate and oil together in top of double boiler over hot water, stirring until smooth with a wooden spoon. Insert candy thermometer and begin dipping the ganache balls when temperature registers between 85-90F. If chocolate begins to cool and thicken before you’re finished dipping, reheat over hot water. Work with only 1/2 dozen at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated. Drop a single ganache ball into the chocolate, turning to coat well, then lift it with the fork. Allow excess chocolate to drip back into pan, then gently rap fork against edge of pan to remove more chocolate from ball. Failure to do this will cause a large dribble “platform” or “skirt” to form around the base of each hardened truffle. (this makes it difficult to pack them side by side in a box.)

There are two schools of thoughts as to the proper method of depositing truffles onto the baking sheet: A) If you are conservative by nature it’s best to gently slide them off the fork with a butter knife, onto the waiting baking sheet. B) If you intend to further decorate the truffle, the second method, (for the showoffs among us) involves dropping the truffle off the fork upside down directly onto the baking sheet. Quickly manipulate the single strand of chocolate, adhering to the fork, into some glorious shape atop the candy, like the pros do.

Either way is acceptable, although the second way requires some practice and an accurate thermometer to get it right. If your chocolate temperature is off by a few degrees, you’re likely to find a chocolate highway – not a chocolate strand – adhering to the fork when that critical moment comes.

The perfect finale for the basic recipe, for instance, is a sprinkling of shaved dark chocolate over the top, or better yet, gently rolling each newly-dipped truffle in the shavings to coat completely.

Refrigerate all truffles after dipping several hours or overnight to harden.

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Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe

3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1-1/2 teaspoon pure bourbon vanilla
2 teaspoons pure coconut extract
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
11 ounces good dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the paper. Dust with flour.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy, then gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Gradually increase speed until whites are stiff but not dry. Scrape the egg whites on the beater into the bowl and return the beater to the mixer.

In another bowl with the same beater, cream the butter, remaining sugar and extracts. At lowest speed, alternately add the coconut milk and flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. By hand, stir in 1 cup egg whites to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whites and the coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour batter into the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, until the cakes are golden and start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting Directions:

Heat the cream almost to a simmer. Pour over butter and chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Chill until frosting thickens but is still soft enough to dent with your finger. Beat with a mixer until creamy.

Assembling Cake:

Place one cake layer flat-side (bottom) up on a cake plate. Spread some of the frosting on cake. Top with other layer, flat side down. Frost top and sides of cake. Decorate with toasted sliced almonds.

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Easy Boston Cream Cake Recipe

1 box yellow cake mix
2 boxes (3 1/8 ounce) vanilla pudding mix, not instant

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 dash salt

Make cake according to directions on box. Let cool. Split each layer to form 2 layers each, four total. Make pudding according to directions on box. Let cool until set. Divide into thirds.

Place one cake layer on cake plate. Top with 1/3 pudding. Cover with another cake layer and top with pudding. Repeat with third layer; top with pudding. Add fourth layer. Top this and rest of cake with chocolate frosting.

For Frosting: Mix dry ingredients together. Add water. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Add more water if needed to make frosting thin enough to pour over cake. Chill cake several hours before serving.

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Chocolate Crepes

4 eggs
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons chocolate sauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter

Measure all ingredients in to blender jar; blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides. Blend for 15 seconds more. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. (This helps the flour absorb more of the liquids.) Makes 12-14 crepes.

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Easy Sponge Candy

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda
melted chocolate (optional)

Cook sugar, syrup and vinegar over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts. Cook without stirring until mixture is very brittle when placed in cold water. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour into a well greased 9-inch pan. When hard, break into pieces.

Optional: Dip pieces into chocolate and set on wax paper to dry.

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