Best Ever Hot Fudge Sauce

Best Ever Hot Fudge Sauce

6 oz good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1/4 C sugar
2 T butter
1 t vanilla
pinch of sea salt
1/2 C half and half

Place all ingredients except half and half into a blender.

Place half and half into a medium size bowl and heat in microwave on high for 75-90 seconds or until it's vigorously boiling. (Or on the stove stirring frequently.)

Immediately pour half and half over contents in the blender.  Blend on medium high for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and blend again for one more minute.  If you want to thin it down a bit, just add a little more half and half a teaspoon at a time.

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.  Sauce will get thicker when chilled but will thin out when warmed up.  Reheat in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds.  Makes approx. 1 cup of chocolate sauce.

*Recipe from thecafesucrefarine.com
*This picture is lame, but oh so accurate and truthful.  When hot fudge sauce is just as good cold at 10:00 at night, it needs to be documented....it's a delicious ganache, so smooth and creamy.
*Found it easier to make a double batch in the blender, 1 batch was a little small.
*Such a great addition to brownies and ice cream with Crunch Topping & whipped cream!

Tuxedo Cake

Tuxedo Cake

Cake
1 C unsalted butter
2 C water
1 C canola oil
4 C sugar
1 C high quality unsweetened cocoa powder
4 C flour
4 large eggs
1 C buttermilk
1 T baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 T vanilla

Whipped Cream Frosting
4 c chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 C powdered sugar

Chocolate Glaze
4 ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate (broken into pieces)
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
1/4 C corn syrup (or Lyles Golden Syrup- which I have yet to find)
2 t vanilla

To make the cake: Place one baking rack one -third from the bottom of the oven and the second two-thirds from the bottom. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds, grease with butter, and dust with flour (or spray with Baker’s Joy).

Combine the butter, water, and canola oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, cocoa, and flour. Pour the butter mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk. Whisk in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla all at once. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans.

Stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. Set two layers on one rack and the third on the other.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each layer comes out clean. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one maybe done at a different time.  Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on racks for about 15 minutes before inverting onto baking racks. Cool the cakes completely, at least 2 hours, before frosting.

To make the frosting: Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream in a large bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and whip until thoroughly combined.  (I try to get it as thick as possible.) Place 1 cake layer on a platter and spread some of the frosting over the top. Top with the remaining layer or layers, thickly coating the top and sides of each with frosting.  Refrigerate the cake until the whipped cream frosting has stabilized, at least 1 hour.

To make the glaze: Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is very hot and just beginning to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until it has melted completely. Stir in the syrup and vanilla. Pour the glaze into a medium pitcher or measuring cup and let cool for 10 minutes. Do not let the glaze sit longer because it will stiffen and become difficult to pour over the cake. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, ensuring that it covers the top and drizzles down the sides. Cover the top of the cake entirely, but make sure some of the cream frosting shows through the drizzles on the sides. (If the glaze doesn’t flow easily over the edge of the cake don’t be afraid to add an extra tablespoon or two of corn syrup.) I sometimes pour it over slowly using a small measuring cup.

Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set and the whipped cream frosting is firm, at least 1 hour. Slice the cake with a long knife, dipping it in a tall glass of hot water between each slice. The refrigerated cake will keep for about 2 days.

*This recipe was passed on to me by Dayna Magleby, who loves a good party and a beautiful cake! This cake is so fun and festive, yet the flavors are simple and every one loves it!  However, I have yet to see people eat more than one slice, let alone the first one they are served.

*Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen

*Josie picked this for her 8th birthday!

See what I mean? 8 slices not finished....so rich! ;) But by the next day....not a slice to be had, cake plate cleaned!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosted Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosted Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/4 cups cake flour  
1- 10 oz bag Reese's Peanut Butter chips 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.
Cream together butter, sugars, salt, baking soda and powder.  Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
Add flour and peanut butter chips. Mix just until flour and chips are blended together.
Use a tablespoon to keep size uniform and roll into balls.  Bake for 6-8 minutes. (These cookies are so rich, 1 T of cookie dough is the perfect size!)

Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup butter, soft-room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter 
1/4 t salt
cream or half and half to thin to proper consistency (2 T - 1/4 C)
Cream together room-temperature butter and powdered sugar. Add peanut butter and beat until smooth. Add cream a tablespoon at time, just until frosting is smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 C butter 
3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa (or less if you like a lighter cocoa frosting)
1 tablespoon vanilla
cream or half and half to thin to proper consistency (2 T - 1/4 C)
Cream butter and 5 cups powdered sugar. Add cocoa and vanilla. Add cream a tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more powdered sugar.

After cookies are cooled, frost with peanut butter frosting. Then frost on top of the peanut butter frosting with the chocolate frosting. It is easier if the peanut butter frosting is thicker and you pipe on the chocolate.  You can still spread the chocolate, just takes a bit more time.

**Recipe adapted from abountifulkitchen.com.
**I usually bake the cookies the day before and freeze them.  They are easier to frost when frozen solid.  Also, I tend to think that they are tastier cold, so put them in the fridge until ready to serve.  I've made these a lot recently and more than one person has told me they dreamed about them... they're that good!

Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever.

Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever.

FOR THE CAKE:

2 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa

2 sticks Butter

1 cup Boiling Water

1/2 cup Buttermilk

2 whole Beaten Eggs

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Vanilla

 FOR FROSTING:

1-3/4 stick Butter

4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa

6 Tablespoons Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan (cookie sheet size with sides) and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.  Best served warm with ice cream on the side. 

**Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman.  It isn't pretty, but it's divine! This has been served at every basketball team dinner I've ever hosted and last year one cute kid told me he had a dream about it the next day (Cole). Funny.

Elise's Triple Layer Bars

Elise's Triple Layer Bars

½ C butter
1 ½ C graham cracker crumbs
1 (7oz) package of flaked coconut  (2 2/3 C)
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ C creamy peanut butter
Preheat oven to 350 (325 for glass dish).  In 9x13 pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over butter. Top evenly with coconut then sweetened condensed milk.  Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. In small saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with peanut butter (much easier in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until completely smooth).  Spread evenly over hot coconut layer.  Cool 30 minutes.  Chill thoroughly.  Cut into bars.  Store loosely covered at room temperature.






**Elise served these at a dinner years ago and I was enamored!  I called her a few days later to get the recipe and she was embarrassed to tell me she got it from the back of the Eagle brand milk can.....it doesn't matter, they are delicious!
**I sprinkled a touch of kosher salt on the top...just for fun.

Richest Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Richest Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C butter
3 eggs
2 C sugar
2 C brown sugar
2 t vanilla
7 C flour
2 t salt
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
3 C chocolate chips

In heavy mixer, mix cold butter and sugar until combined. Add eggs.  Add in vanilla, salt, soda, powder and then flour.  Add chocolate chips.  Bake at 375. 1 T cookies 6-7 min, 1/4 C 10-11 min.

**This was one of the first recipes I ever asked for, probably when I was 16.  My amazing sister in law has always been the best cook!  I changed it just a bit, and I don't know if it's better, but I'm lazy and I like measuring 2 t instead of 1 1/2! This makes a huge batch, hense the heavy mixer.  I've halved it before and just added 2 eggs.
**PS, best dough EVER to just eat out of the bowl.  We make it sometimes and just skip the eggs to eat the dough....and when I say we, I mean me and Chloe!

Brownie Cookies

Brownie Cookies

8 oz or 1 1/3 C semisweet chocolate (or chips)
3 T butter
1 C sugar
3 lg eggs
1 t pero powder (could leave out)
1 t vanilla
1 C flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C semisweet chocolate chips (optional - but we like)

Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave, for 20 seconds at a time just until chocolate melts. Do not over heat.  In mixer bowl,  beat sugar and eggs.  Add melted chocolate and mix until combined.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing in chocolate chips after all of the flour is incorporated.  Refrigerate dough for an hour to make it easier to handle.  Bake at 325 on parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet. 1 T cookie bakes for 7-9 minutes or until center is just dry/set.  1/4 C cookie bakes for 11-12 minutes.

*Adapted from King Arthur Flour
**I've made these a few times and we love them.  The dough is a mess, next time I will put it in pam sprayed plastic wrap and refrigerate it in a log shape.  Then I can just cut slices...I'll try it and let you know.  My hands were insane with this dough today.
**Also would be awesome for ice cream sandwiches!

Nutella Crepe Cake

 

Nutella Crepe Cake

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus melted for pan

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Ghirardelli semisweet baking bars)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Bring 1/4 cup water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate until completely melted. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla in another medium bowl. Gradually add milk mixture to flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Add chocolate-butter mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard lumps. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Lightly coat an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet with melted butter. Heat over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Remove pan from heat; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into pan, swirling to cover bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low; return pan to heat. Cook, flipping once, until edges are golden and center is dry, about 30 seconds per side.

Slide crepe onto a plate. Repeat process with remaining batter, coating pan with butter as needed. Crepes can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day. (It is nice during assembly if the crepes are cold.)

Place a crepe on desired cake plate. Spread with about 3 tablespoons hazelnut filling. Top with another crepe. Continue layering with hazelnut filling and crepes, using about 32 crepes and ending with a crepe on top. (I ended up only using 22, the filling ran out...but still was beautiful and delish.) Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup glaze on top of the cake, spreading to edges. Spread remaining glaze around sides of cake, coating completely. Refrigerate until glaze is firm and set, about 60 minutes, or overnight was better!  Cake can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Hazelnut Cream

2/3 cup heavy cream
6 large egg whites
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup hazelnut cream
Pinch of salt (I used a bit more, maybe 1/4 t)
Put cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Whisk egg whites and sugar in the clean bowl of mixer set over a pan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes. (I didn't measure temp, I just slowly heated until the sugar was dissolved. My egg whites didn't beat up to stiff peaks, but the cake went together flawlessly.)

Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment; beat on high speed until slightly cooled and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Fit mixer with paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter, several pieces at a time, mixing well after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added). Add vanilla, hazelnut cream, and salt; mix until mixture comes together, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream with a rubber spatula. Use immediately.

Chocolate Glaze

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Ghirardelli semisweet baking bars)

Bring cream, corn syrup, and salt to a boil in a medium-heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; swirl pan to cover completely with cream. Let stand about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool completely.

**Adapted ever so slightly from Martha Stewart
**This cake was a definite time commitment and labor of love, but so worth it! It was delicious and super fun! Fancy, tasty, fun to talk about and was better on the 2nd and third days! When it was well refrigerated, the slices came out perfect, even if it was only 1/2 inch thick. I will make this again if anyone requests it, otherwise it might be what I make myself for my 40th next year! :)
**I made this again and made 1/2 of the batter for crepes and it worked out perfect. Keep the cream and the glaze the same.  About 20 crepes and still just as beautiful, just a lot less time over the stove making crepes!

Homemade Almond Joy

Homemade Almond Joy

10 ounces shredded sweetened coconut (about 3 1/4 C)
6 T light corn syrup
54 whole roasted and salted almonds (about 2 ounces)
1 1/2 lb dipping chocolate (I used Guittard milk chocolate melting disks)

Combine coconut and corn syrup in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade.  Pulse until coconut is finely ground and mixture holds shape when squeezed into a ball. (About 30 pulses.)  Divide coconut mixture into 25 (2 t) portions.  Work each portion between hands until it is compact and smooth.  Shape into a 2 1/2 inch long, 1 inch wide oval.  Rinse hands with water often to help in forming the shape.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Place in refrigerator to chill. 

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds.  While coconut shapes are chilling, dip almonds in chocolate, using a fork, tapping fork on side of bowl to allow excess to drip and place on parchment.   Remove coconut shapes from refrigerator and place one or two chocolate dipped almonds on top of coconut (2 is best...one almond per bite). Use forks or dipping tools to dip each almond joy in the chocolate until completely covered, then tap the fork against the lip of the bowl so excess chocolate drips off. Set the dipped bars on a sheet of parchment to cool and harden completely. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to cut off excess chocolate around bottom edge.


**Adapted from chow.com

Homemade Reese's

Homemade Reese's

1/3 C graham cracker crumbs
3/4 C powdered sugar
3/4 C smooth peanut butter
1 lb dipping milk chocolate (I used Guittard milk chocolate melting disks)

In mixer, using paddle attachment, mix graham crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter.  Mix on medium speed until combined and resembles cookie dough.  Make dough into balls (approx 2 teaspoons each) and then flatten into disks a little smaller than the width of the mini muffin pan you are using. Place disks on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Place a tablespoon (or so) of the melted chocolate in the bottom of each muffin cup, working quickly, place peanut butter disk in each cup and press down lightly.  Top with just enough chocolate to cover.  Shake pan to smooth top.  Place in refrigerator to cool and harden.  To remove cups, place a towel on the counter and hit the edge of the muffin pan against the counter.  (Or come borrow my silicone mini muffin pan and they pop out easy as pie.)

**Adapted from chow.com.

Homemade Twix

Homemade Twix

1 C salted butter (room temp)
1 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
2 C flour
2 C caramel, cut into small chunks
3 T heavy cream
3 C milk chocolate (I used Guittard melting chocolate disks)

Preheat oven to 300. Line 9x13 pan with foil, spray with cooking spray and line with parchment.  In mixer, beat together butter, sugar and vanilla.  Add flour and continue to beat at medium speed until dough comes together.  Press dough evenly into pan.  Prick crust with fork to allow steam to escape and to have fewer bubbles.  Bake crust until it's lightly golden brown on top and the edges are deeper golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Melt the caramel and cream in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until fluid and smooth.  Pour the caramel over the cooled cookie crust and set int he refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill and firm up.

Remove from pan by lifting with foil.  Cut into "twix" size bars (approximately 1/2 inch by 4 inches). Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds.  Use forks or dipping tools to dip each candy bar in the chocolate until completely covered, then tap the fork against the lip of the bowl so excess chocolate drips off. Set the dipped bars on a sheet of parchment to cool and harden completely. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to cut off excess chocolate around bottom edge.

**Adapted from King Arthur Flour (Thousand Dollar Bars)

Homemade Snickers

Homemade Snickers

24 ounces chocolate candy coating (I used Guittard milk chocolate melting chocolate)
4 T butter
1 C sugar
1/4 C evaporated milk
1 (7 oz) jar of marshmallow fluff
1 t vanilla
1/3 C chunky peanut butter
14 oz caramels, unwrapped
2 T cream
1 1/2 C roasted, salted peanuts

Line a 9x13 pan with foil.  Melt 1/2 C of chocolate (in Pyrex in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until melted) and spread on bottom of pan, on foil.

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar and evaporated milk.  Place pan over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from heat and add peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and vanilla all at once and stir in.  Pour nougat onto the top of the chocolate layer in pan. Refrigerate. 

Place caramels in microwave safe bowl with 2 T cream (more or less depending on how hard your caramels are), microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until liquid and smooth. Add the salted peanuts, stirring until completely coated. Spread caramel and peanuts over cooled nougat layer, trying to be as even as you can.  Refrigerate for about 45 minutes. 

Once set, remove from pan by lifting out with foil.  Use a large knife to cut into small bars. (Approximately 1 inch by 4 inches.)  Melt the remainder of the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds.  Use forks or dipping tools to dip each candy bar in the chocolate until completely covered, then tap the fork against the lip of the bowl so excess chocolate drips off. Set the dipped bars on a sheet of parchment to cool and harden completely. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to cut off excess chocolate around bottom edge.

**Adapted from Oh Nuts.com

Chocolate Delight

Chocolate Delight

Crust:

1 C flour
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C chopped pecans
Mix well and pat into a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool completely.

2nd Layer

12 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 1/2 C cool whip
Blend and spread over cooled crust.

3rd Layer

2 Lg chocolate instant pudding
4 C cold milk
Beat for 2 minutes.  Spread over cream cheese layer.  Chill.

When ready to serve, spread with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

4th Layer

2 C heavy cream
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
Whip cream until almost set, add sugar and vanilla and finish whipping. Spread on chocolate layer and shave chocolate over top.

**I requested this for my birthday for as many birthdays as I can remember. FAVORITE.
**Disclaimer...cool whip is lame, but it does take out a step of whipping cream twice, so it just depends on my energy level.
**The original recipe was quite a bit thinner, so I beefed it up a little making each layer a bit thicker, except for the crust (which I may go double on next time).

Holly's Midnight Cake

Holly's Midnight Cake

1 C shortening
2 C sugar
5 eggs (room temperature)
1 C cocoa
2 C flour
1 3/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 C water

Cream together shortening, sugar and eggs until fluffy and then beat for 5 minutes more on high.  In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda and the salt.  In another small bowl, mix the vanilla and water.  Alternately add a small amount of the flour mixture and then a small amount of the water mixture to the creamed egg mixture.  Beat constantly until all the ingredients are added and it is well mixed.  Pour batter into 3 greased and floured round cake pans.  (I just use parchment instead of flour.)  Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 or until tester comes out clean.  Cool completely and frost with Midnight Frosting.  (I often freeze the cake a day or so in advance and then frost while frozen.) Top with the Chocolate Crazies if desired.

Midnight Frosting

12 T butter (room temp)
1 1/2 C cocoa
5 1/2 C powdered sugar
2/3 C milk
2 t vanilla
Cream butter, then add sugar and cocoa alternately with the milk and vanilla, whipping constantly until everything is well mixed.

Chocolate Crazies

1 C Chocolate chips (semi sweet works best)
Wax paper

Melt chocolate chips and spread thinly on  the wax paper on a cookie sheet.  Cool until slightly firm.  Score with a knife in a diamond pattern and roll up, width ways.  Place cookie sheet in freezer.  When chocolate is solid, slowly unroll and chip off diamond pieces.  Place on cake in whatever pattern looks fun! If cake is in a warm room, the chocolate will droop.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

CRUST

1/2 C butter
1/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 T cocoa (I think I will put in 2 T next time...I'll update if I do and like it)

Mix together in a metal bowl over boiling water until slightly thickened. Stir occasionally.

2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 C dried coconut
1/2 C peanuts chopped (in food processor)

Mix together and add to butter mixture.  Press into a buttered 9x13.  Chill.

FILLING
1 1/2 C  peanut butter (creamy)
6 T soft butter
6 T Bird's Custard Powder
6 C powdered sugar
3/4 C milk

Mix well and spread over crust.  Chill.

TOPPING
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (next time I'll measure in C)
4 T unsalted butter

Melt in microwave and stir until smooth.  30 seconds at a time.  Spread over PB layer.  Chill until ready to serve.

**This picture is of a huge serving.  Usually they are cut to 1 1/2 inch square for a little finger dessert.  But don't despair, I'll eat a big one no problemo. A serious favorite.  An adapted recipe to be like the ones at Blue Lemon.

No Bake Cookies (basically a nugget of joy)

No Bake Cookies 
(basically a nugget of joy - all peanut butter version)

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix in a saucepan and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and mix in:

1 cup peanut butter (I use a heaping cup, a little less than 1 1/2)
1 tablespoon vanilla
31/2 cups oatmeal

When cooled a bit and mixed well, mix in:
1 C white chocolate chips

Scoop with an ice cream scoop or rounded Tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Let cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy.

Traditional Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bakes
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix in a saucepan and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and mix in:

1 cup peanut butter (the more the merrier...see above)
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal

Make drop cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet. Let cool and enjoy.

**Fun to add in different things....
** So Josie and I wanted to mess around today and decided to honor Tru's request he yelled as he was running out the door for school...."Can you make the peanut butter nuggets?" So we did and decided to get creative.  I measured the batter and it was about 4 cups. Taking out a cup of batter at a time, I added in about 1/4 C - 1/2 C of either marshmallows, butterscotch chips, white chocolate and m&m's.  I LOVE the butterscotch and Josie is lovin' the m&m's.  We'll see what's Tru's fave when he gets home!

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

2 cups milk 

6 slices bread, cubed (I use 8 slices of normal white, 6 of a French loaf)

1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 cup cocoa
2egg yolks, slightly beaten 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten 

1 cup grated sweet chocolate

Scald milk. Remove from heat; add sugar, cocoa, and egg yolks. Beat until well blended. Add butter and vanilla. Fold in bread and let sit to soak up liquid for 15-30 minutes, stirring 3-5 times. Fold in beaten egg whites and grated chocolate. Pour into 8-inch square baking dish; set dish in a pan with about 1-inch of hot water. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, or until firm.
Top with whipped cream and warm butterscotch sauce.

Butterscotch Sauce

1 pound light brown sugar 

1 cup butter 

1 cup heavy cream 

3 tablespoons corn syrup
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Serve warm.

**Picture was a pudding ready to give a friend.  Because I didn't want her to worry about a pan, I greased a 8 inch spring form pan and placed parchment paper in the bottom and greased the parchment paper.  Before putting it in the water bath, I put foil underneath and up around the sides to prevent water from getting into the pudding.

Winning-Hearts-and-Minds Chocolate Cake

Winning-Hearts-and-Minds Chocolate Cake

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60%)
1 3/4 sticks (7ounces) unsalted butter
1 C plus 2 T sugar
5 lg eggs
1 T flour
Lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 375 and butter an 8 inch round cake pan.  Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and butter the paper too.

Put the chocolate and butter in a medium microwavable bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring often, until just smooth. When the mixture is smooth, add the sugar, stirring well to incorporate.  Set the batter aside to cool for 5 minutes.  Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each one. Add the flour and stir to mix well. The batter should be dark and silky.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly crackled, the edges are puffed and the center of the cake looks set.  It is done when center jiggles slightly, if at all.

Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack, and let it cook in the pan for 15 minutes.  Carefully turn it out of the pan and then flip it onto a serving plate, so that the crackly side faces up.

Place a sheet of aluminum foil ovet the pan, and place a large, flat plate on top of the foil (or small sheet pan), facing down.   Hold the cake pan and plate firmly together and quickly, carefully, flip them. The pan should now be on top of the plate, with teh foil between the.  Remove the pan and parchment paper.  Place the serving plate gently on cake. Wedging your index finger between the plates to keep from squishing the cake, flip them so that the cake is now right side up.  Remove the foil.

This cake can be kept at room temp, sealed in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days, or it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

**Best of frozen and then brought to room temperature for serving with whipped cream.

***Molly Wizenberg's recipe