Chocolate Mousse

Miss F has a chocolate mousse obsession. Every since she first tasted it in Paris, she has been hooked. And I agree! I also had it for the first time in Paris as a kid and I adored it. It came out in a giant communal bowl and you served yourself from it. Not the most sanitary way to enjoy chocolate mousse at a restaurant, but it was delicious nonetheless.   This is a great dessert to serve at a dinner party because everything is done in advance.  Last dinner party I served this in cute little glasses that I got at the dollar store.  You can top with whipped cream if you are feeling indulgent and whatever fresh berries you have on hand work great.

Chocolate Mousse

4 cups chilled heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat 1 ½ cups cream in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until hot over medium-high heat. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add the hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160 degrees on the thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a glass bowl in a microwave at 50 percent power 3 to 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool.

Beat remaining 2 ½ cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.
Spoon mousse into 16 (6-ounce) stemmed glasses or ramekins and chill, covered, at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.

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Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the highlights of the holiday season is my friend's cookie exchange. Everyone brings six dozen cookies, wrapped in packages of three, and we have a huge swap. You return home with 24 different kinds of cookies to enjoy. C and Miss F love pawing through the basket of cookies selecting their favorites. This year was the biggest exchange yet and people really outdid themselves.  There was plenty of Prosecco to sip and an abundance of delicious snacks.  My Uber driver was entertained by me carrying a basket full of cookies, I may have shared a bag with him on the trip home.  This recipe is adapted from All Recipes.  Kroger stocks Salted Caramel Chips, which is what I used in these cookies.  The original recipe calls for chopping up caramel candies, but the chips make it much easier.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes 36 cookies

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 ¾ cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup caramel chips (salted caramel if you can find them!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and stir in the vanilla extract. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and caramel chips. Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper. Drop the dough in two tablespoon size balls onto the baking sheets. Bake in the oven until the edges are golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the pans for 5 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

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Chocolate Buttermilk Muffins

I bought a jug of buttermilk to make a cake and besides making pancakes nearly every morning for breakfast, I was looking for another way to use up the leftovers.  Miss F was obsessed with these muffins, but that wasn't at all surprising since they are essentially chocolate-chocolate chip cupcakes without any frosting.  I want to make them again with peanut butter  chips, which I think would be fantastic, even though I wouldn't be able to send them to school with Miss F.  Recipe from Jen's Favorite Cookies.

Chocolate Buttermilk Muffins

⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, sugar and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, sift together the baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt and flour. Stir the flour mixture into the oil mixture, just until combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners, fill each liner 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Miss F's class is celebrating Halloween by wearing costumes (first time ever for her school) and having a Pumpkin Day. There are going to have all sorts of fun pumpkin themed activities, including tasting all sorts of delicious pumpkin treats. Miss F wanted to make pumpkin muffins and I suggested to add chocolate chips, because, why not? And I suspect the chocolate might break up all the pumpkiness. Happy Halloween everyone! This recipe was based off one from Betty Crocker.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
½ cup water
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin
1 ½ cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with paper baking cups. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, water and eggs; stir in the pumpkin. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. Use an ice cream disher to scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.

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Tiger Bread aka Marble Bundt Cake

We spent an amazing couple of weeks in Fiji and New Zealand.   We returned home on a Sunday and Miss F started school the next Wednesday.  Her request for her school snack was "Tiger Bread."  She had it nearly every morning at our hotel in Fiji.  It was essentially marble cake, but since it was served at breakfast, they called it "bread."  Miss F helped make this cake and really enjoyed swirling the batter to create the tiger stripes.  After a week, the entire cake had been eaten...for breakfast, for snack, for dessert...  This recipe was adapted from Sailu's Food.

Tiger Bread aka Marble Bundt Cake
http://www.sailusfood.com/2013/11/15/marble-bundt-cake-recipe-easy/

1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup hot water
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bunt pan with shortening, then flour it, tapping out any excess. In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons sugar and hot water until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter for 2 minutes. Add the 1 ½ cups sugar and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs and beat on low for 1 minute more. Stir in the flour in four additions, stirring until well combined. Transfer a bit less than half of the batter to a bowl and stir in the cocoa mixture. Alternate scoops of vanilla and chocolate batter into the bundt pan using an ice cream disher. Use a knife to swirl the batters into one another, smoothing the top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert to the wire rack to cool completely. Dust with the powdered sugar after cooling.

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Baked Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts

I usually have a large container of plain Greek yogurt laying around. One of my most favorite things to have for lunch is Naan with a huge bowl to Tzatziki. I could live on that stuff.  Miss F loves making baked doughnuts in the summertime, when our mornings are a little more lazy than the madness going on during the school year.  I am not sure I will ever bake a doughnut without Greek yogurt again.  They were amazing.  Truly amazing.   The recipe is title "Best Baked Doughnuts" on Back for Seconds and that isn't a lie.  They are truly the best.  And healthy because protein...right?  HA!

Baked Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts

1 ½ cups flour
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
¼ cup milk
2/3 cups plain greek yogurt
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips
¼ cup milk
sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a two cup measure, whisk together the egg, butter, milk, yogurt and vanilla. Gently stir the wet ingredients into bowl with the dry ingredients until combined. Fill a greased doughnut pan ¾ full with batter and bake for 9 to 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

Heat the milk in a shallow microwave safe bowl for 60 seconds. Add the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute, stir until smooth. Dip the cooled doughnuts into the chocolate and then top with sprinkles.

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I love a good cookie bar. And a brown butter cookie bar is divine.  Making brown butter is a little more effort than usual, but it is done a heck of a lot faster than allowing a stick of butter to come to room temperature.  The brown butter adds a real richness to these cookie bars.  I loved them.  I may have loved them too much, so I sent most of them over to my parents' house.  That way, I wouldn't be tempted to polish off the entire plate of cookie bars.  Which I could have done.  Easily.  This recipe was based off Wine and Glue.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

½ cup butter
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam up and deepen in color, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs, then mix well to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and then fold in the chocolate chips. Press the batter into the prepared dish. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Cool and slice into bars.

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Holiday Monster Cookies

This is an update of the first ever post I made here on So Tasty, So Yummy.  I love these cookies.  They are incredibly easy to make and I think they are gluten free (I am not positive on that.)  They have no flour in them, instead they are bulked up with oats and delicious peanut butter.  The peanut butter makes them unsafe for Miss F's lunch box, but she is happy to enjoy them as an after school treat.  These cookies are best made with a stand mixer, the batter is quite stiff and the stand mixer makes it easier to stir.

Holiday Monster Cookies

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 eggs
4 ½ cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 ½ cups peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms
1/8 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and eggs. Mix in the oatmeal and peanut butter until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Drop by heaping tablespoon fulls onto Silpat lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, the remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Baked Sour Cream Chocolate Doughnuts

I love baking doughnuts. It really doesn't take too terribly long, especially if I use my mini-doughnut pans.  Whenever I make these on the weekend, I never have a single doughnut leftover.  Miss F and C usually take down two pans worth in one sitting...then proceed to complain that they ate too many doughnuts.  On a weekday, I always have some leftover, which makes for great grab and go breakfasts during the week.  This recipe is from the Semisweet Sisters.

Baked Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnuts

½ cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a doughnut pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, vanilla, oil and sugar. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt until well combined. Fill the pan with the batter and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

No matter what, I always end up with over ripe bananas on our counter.  Once they get too far gone to eat, they go straight into the freezer so that I can use them later for baked goods.  Miss F went crazy for these treats, having them for breakfast and in her snack bag for school.  There is no mixer needed, so she was able to make them nearly entirely herself.  We are still working on dishing the batter into the muffin cups, it is an acquired skill.  These muffins were adapted from Taste of Home.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 medium ripe bananas
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with the egg, oil and vanilla. Stir in the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips. Fill 12 paper lined muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

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Sachertorte

To continue our Austrian theme, Miss F's favorite desserts on our trip were Bienenstich and Sachertorte. She was obsessed with both.  She wanted to make a Sachertorte for Grandad's birthday.  It is a rich chocolate cake glazed with apricot jam and covered in more chocolate.  I heavily adapted the recipe and swapped the chocolate glaze for a ganache, just because it seemed so much easier (and it was!)  Miss F was so sad when the cake was gone, she was already asking to make it again.

Sachertorte

¾ cup chocolate chips
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Apricot glaze
Chocolate glaze

To make the torte: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Dust the sides of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

In the top part of a double boiler over very hot, but not simmering, water, or in a microwave at medium power, melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat or the oven, and let stand, stirring often, until cool. Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle blade on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar. Return the speed to medium-high and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the chocolate and vanilla.

Beat the egg whites and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer on high speed just until they form soft, shiny peaks. Do not overbeat. Stir about one fourth of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, leaving a few visible wisps of whites. Sift half of the flour over the chocolate mixture, and fold in with a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining flour.

Spread evenly in the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. (The cake will dome in the center.) Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the paper and reinvert on another rack to turn right side up. Cool completely.

To assemble: Using a long serrated knife, trim the top of the cake to make it level. Cut the cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place one cake layer on an 8-inch cardboard round. Brush the top of the cake layer with the apricot glaze. Place the second cake layer on top and brush again. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze. Transfer the cake to a wire rack placed over a jelly-roll pan lined with waxed paper. Let cool until the glaze is set.

Make the chocolate glaze (it must be freshly made and warm). Pour all of the warm chocolate glaze on top of the cake. Using a metal offset spatula, gently smooth the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides, being sure that the glaze completely coats the cake (patch any bare spots with the spatula and the icing that has dripped). Cool until the glaze is barely set, then transfer the cake to a serving plate. Refrigerate until the glaze is completely set, at least 1 hour. Remove the cake from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.

To serve, slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water. Serve with a large dollop of whipped cream on the side.

Apricot Glaze

1 ¼ cups apricot preserves
2 tablespoons water

Bring the preserves and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Cook, stirring often, until the last drops that cling to the spoon are very sticky and reluctant to leave the spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a wire sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Use warm.

Chocolate Glaze

½ cup cream
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Stir together the cream and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each, until all the chips are melted.

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Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I commented on this post from Tide and Thyme nearly four years ago. FOUR YEARS. How did it take me four years to get around to making these cookies?  Miss F calls these cookies "delicious cookies", which is quite adorable since she has a slight lisp right now from her missing top tooth.  They do not spread as much as my usual chocolate chip cookies and stay quite puffy.  Since school is starting back in just a couple weeks (where has the summer gone?), I know I will be making these often this fall for Miss F's lunchbox.  I found the cookies cooked up perfectly in 12 minutes, so be sure to check on them.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes around 4 dozen cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with a Silpat or parchment paper. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until creamy. Reduce speed to low, and add the eggs (one at a time), and the vanilla. Mix to combine. Slowly add in the sifted flour and mix until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chips to the bowl and mix until they are distributed evenly.

Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, drop 1-inch balls onto greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cook on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to cooling rack as cookies will be very soft.

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Chocolate M&M Bites

I let Miss F what kind of cookie she wanted for her lunch box for her last week of Kindergarten. I cannot believe that in five short days she will no longer be a Kindergartener. She has blossomed so much and she adores school, she is quite sad that the year is coming to an end. She is ready to start first grade straight away! I am looking forward to a fun summer with her, filled with lots of peanut butter based desserts. She isn't allowed any peanut or nut products at school, which eliminates so many favorites. She wanted a chocolate cookies with M&Ms. I had made M&M blondies recently and I think those were her inspiration.  I adapted the recipe from Tastes of Lizzy Ts.

Chocolate M&M Bites
makes 32 cookies

½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cups M&M chocolate candies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla together until it is light and fluffy. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, stir well to combine. Stir in the M&Ms gently. Drop the cookies by the tablespoon full onto Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, cool on a wire rack.

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Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

I have never had coffee. I figure by now, it is one of those things it is best not to get hooked on. Saving the money and the calories. The coffee flavor in this cheesecake is detectable, but the rich chocolate is what really shines through. I was clueless when buying the espresso granules, but there was a cute small package that was priced right. I also have the most adorably small bottle of Kahlua ever.  I know I will make this cheesecake again, it was nearly as good as my mom's chocolate cheesecake. Nearly. Thanks to Tide and Thyme of the spectacular recipe.

Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

1 cup Oreo crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons whipping cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant espresso granules dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
¼ cup Kahlua (or another coffee liqueur)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On the bottom rack, place a 9×13 pan and fill with hot water (this creates a make-shift steam bath) and place the other rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the crust, combine the Oreo crumbs, butter and the cinnamon. Mix well and press mixture into the greased springform pan, set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, stir together the chocolate chips and cream. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each, until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat at low speed until very smooth. Carefully add chocolate mixture, blend well. Stir in sour cream, salt, coffee, Kahlua, and vanilla; beat until combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake over the pan of hot water for 45 minutes. Center will be soft but will firm up when chilled. Turn off oven, crack the oven door, and let the cheesecake rest with the door ajar for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 12 hours. Slice and serve.

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I liked these cookies so much that I made them twice in one week. They are chewy with just the right amount of oats to provide some texture. Miss F was a huge fan of these cookies, especially in a cookie sundae after dinner.  These were quite full of chocolate chips, so feel free to reduce the chocolate chip amount to one cup if you prefer a higher cookie to chip ratio.  Miss F would like her cookies to be solid chocolate chips if she had her way.  I think she ate several while we were making the batter.  She also adds more chips to her cookie sundae.  This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
½ cup oats
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, beat well. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture. Mix until everything is incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, allowing 2" between each cookie. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

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Chocolate Heart Sandwich Cookies

This is another Miss F recipe, she made these cookies from start to finish, it is definitely kid friendly. I am still working on being confident enough to let her deal with the oven in any way, I know she can do it, but I am so scared of her getting burned, so I handle that part myself. These cookies are perfect for a Valentine treat.  The cookie recipe is from All Recipes and I added an easy ganache to make them a decadent sandwich cookie.  I used several different sizes of heart cookie cutters, be sure to make an even number of each side so you are able to make sandwiches of them all.  Miss F and I may have snuck a cookie or two right out of the oven.

Chocolate Heart Sandwich Cookies

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups white sugar
1 egg

1 cup chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour mixture to form a soft dough. Divide into two pieces, flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness, use heart cookie cutters or desired shape to cut out the cookies, re-rolling any scraps. Line cookie sheets with Silpat or parchment paper. Place cut out hearts on the cookie sheets one inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack completely.

Stir together the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate chips have melted completely. Spread the chocolate mixture on the bottom of one cookie, then sandwich another cookie on top. Repeat with all the cooled cookies.

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Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every year my friend Brandi hosts an amazing cookie exchange. We are all asked to bring six dozen cookies, packaged in bags of three cookies each and the swapping is coordinated by our host. We just drink, eat, talk, eat and drink some more. It is always a lovely time and each year I always aim to make a new recipe. I knew I wanted a recipe for chocolate chips cookies that produced six dozen cookies. These cookies bake up beautifully. I really loved the way they turned out. This is year number five of the exchange, I have only missed one year. I have made chocolate cayenne cookies, ultimate Reeses Pieces cookies and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies in the past. This recipe was adapted from food.com.

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 ¼ cups butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat together the sugar, brown sugar and butter. Add the vanilla and eggs, beat until well combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt until combined. Fold in the three chocolate chips. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto Silpat or parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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Candy Corn Cookies

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween with lots of treats, no treats. Miss F and I made a cake version of the candy corn cupcakes for her school carnival's cake walk. We had about a half of bag of candy corn left over, so I went searching for a cookie recipe to use up the remainder.  Miss F loved these cookies, they were perfect for the leftover candy corn.  Be sure to line the cookie sheets since the candy corn melts and can be a bit sticky.  Thanks to Averie Cooks for the fantastic recipe.  Our house is now candy corn free, but we have a plastic pumpkin full of candy from trick or treating.  Luckily, Miss F's school is collecting excess candy to donate to the Ronald McDonald house.

Candy Corn Cookies

½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 ½ cups candy corn (10 to 11 ounces)
1 cup white chocolate chips

Cream together the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Add the cream, flour, corn starch, baking soda and soda. Mix on low speed for one minute more. Stir in the candy corn and white chocolate chips. Use a 2" cookie scoop, form two tablespoon mounds on a plate. Refrigerate the cookie dough mounds for at least three hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper, place the refrigerated mounds 2" apart on the sheet, making sure the candy corn is not touching the cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes, until edges have set. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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White Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Miss F has a banana bread obsession. She loves it. She will eat it for breakfast, as a snack and even as dessert after dinner. I remember loving it as a kid as well, so I always use my mom's recipe to take me back to childhood. I had some white chocolate chips left over from these cookies, so I decided to adapt mom's recipe a bit and add them. The chips melted in with the bread and it made for the most decadent banana bread ever. Miss F was a huge fan and so was I.  If you don't have unsweetened applesauce on hand, use 1/2 cup of vegetable oil instead.

White Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 ¾ cup flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (may use vegetable oil in place of applesauce)
2 over ripe bananas
½ cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift the first five ingredients together. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, oil, applesauce and bananas at medium speed until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined, stir in the chips. Grease the loaf pan and fill with the batter. Bake for 45 minutes, let cool before slicing.

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White Chocolate Chip Cookies

This cookies are huge, nearly too big for a lunch box, but that didn't deter Miss F from taking one in her lunch every day this week. The recipe is from Ina Garten and the cookies are delicious. I understand why Miss F wanted one every single day. Now that is in Kindergarten, she has a lot more independence at lunch time. Which meant the first week of school she came home with everything healthy in her lunch uneaten. We had a talk about how I she finished her lunch, she could have the treat packed in her lunch. So far, this has worked quite well. So she continues to get lunch box treats. What is your favorite nut-free cookie recipe?

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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