Raspberry Ruffle Cupcake

These cupcakes were fun to make. The cake was a basic chocolate cupcake. But I made two flavors of buttercream icing! The red buttercream frosting was made with a regular 4 ounce package of raspberry jello, dissolved in hot water. The white buttercream had melted white chocolate in it. I used a new frosting tip called as Russian Piping Nozzle, and garnished the cupcakes with candy sprinkles and white chocolate flakes to resemble flowers. The person whose birthday it was, was super delighted!

Chocolate Bears

2 sticks butter
1 C. sugar
1 egg
2 C. flour
1 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix. Refrigerate until firm. Bake 350* 12 minutes.

hot chocolate waffles

Waffle batter mixed with a packet of hot chocolate mix, topped with chocolate and marshmallows. This tasty waffle should be a welcome fall treat!

Fudge Frosting

Fudge Frosting
6 Tb. butter
6 Tb. milk
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. chocolate chips

In a sauce pan, boil the milk, butter, and sugar. Stir to make sure it does not scald, and the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate chips (and a tsp. vanilla if you have it). Stir to fully incorporate. Pour over brownies. Decorate with candies or nuts, then place in fridge to harden. It sets up exactly like Christmas fudge.

Brownie Bunnies

3/4 C. unsalted butter
4 ounce (113g) semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
2 C. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 C. unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 C. (125g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease your pan. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and 2 ounces of chopped chocolate. Melt in 30 second increments, whisking after each, until completely smooth. Whisk in the sugar until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. The batter will be light brown and a little dull looking. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, remaining 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and the chocolate chips. Fold it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Batter will be very thick. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, in a 9x13 pan. I used the bunnies pan and they took about 14 minutes. After brownies are cooled, pop out of pan. Wash pan. Melt 3 white chocolate candy melts in each pocket (45 seconds in the microwave) and place a bunny back in the mold so as the chocolate cools, it will stick to the shaped brownie bunny.

Truffles

Basic truffle recipe, rolled in freeze dried strawberries pulverized with mortar and pestle.

Chocolate cookies

1-1/2 c. dark chocolate chips, divided
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2-1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips in microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat eggs whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1-1/4 cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1-1/4 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Add in melted chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (dough will become extremely stiff). Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Roll in powdered sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake 10 minutes or until puffed and tops are cracked. Let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Yield: 36 cookies with #70 scoop

Candycane Suckers

1 box (40) miniature candy canes
1 bag white chocolate candy discs (melt in microwave pastry/candy bag)
sprinkles!
sticks

Do not touch candy canes immediately after removing them from oven.  Do not use your finger to smooth out the (boiling hot) candy melts. Do not freak out and try wiping the chocolate on your 350* cookie sheet.  This project probably requires adult supervision.

Petit Ecolier

Chocolate Ganache

• 12 ounces chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• optional 1 tsp. extract/liquor

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze.

If you want to use the ganache for piping (like the edges), stick it in the refrigerator so it gets slighly firm. Use your hand mixer to whip it up.   When you are able to spoon the ganache and it can hold its texture, it is ready for piping.

Kosher Fudge

1 C. milk chocolate chips
2 C. semi sweet chips (1 regular size bag)
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

Melt everything together very slowly in a sauce pan over the stove.  One it comes to a boil, turn it off and spread into a prepared pan. Freeze for 20 minutes to help it cool off.  This fudge is soft enough to cut with cookie cutters, and firm enough to pick up once it sits at room temperature for 2 hours and develops a crust.

I searched the internet to see if there was such thing as kosher marshmallows. The responses varied greatly. So, I found a fudge recipe that doesn't use marshmallow fluff.  Just 3 ingredients, no butter, no fluff, no sugar, just chocolate, milk, and love. And its kosher~

Oreo Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix
Muffin liners
1 package mini Oreos
8 oz cream cheese room temperature
1/2 Stick butter, room temperature
3-4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake cupcakes according to package directions.  Reserve 30 mini Oreos for decoration, and then chop up remaining in food processor. After making frosting, add chopped Oreos to the mixture, and blend by hand. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcake. Top with mini Oreo.

Tiramisu Chocolate Cake

Cake	Frosting	Garnish
2 C. cake flour	1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided	Chocolate bar for shaving
3/4 cup cocoa	1 Tbs. instant espresso powder
1.5 tsp. baking soda	1/3 cup white chocolate, grated	Raspberries - small container
3/4 tsp. salt	1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, room temperature	2 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese
2 cups golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. buttermilk

4 tsp. instant espresso powder dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water



Frosting:
Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over espresso, whisking until espresso is dissolved. Add grated white chocolate and stir until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the whipping cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. Can be made one day ahead; cover and keep chilled. Add mascarpone to chilled mixture; Using electric mixer; beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
Full Recipe

Graduation Cake

Congratulations on Law School Graduation, Pat. I know you passed the bar. A WINNER IS YOU!

Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons Hershey's natural cocoa powder
 4 ounces bar Nestle toll house chocolatier dessert baking bar 53% cacao
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Warm about half the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
2. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk. (Temper the eggs) Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
3. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). It should reach this temperature just before boiling.  If you let it boil you wind up with scrambled egg sauce.  Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Pretzel M&M Cookies

3/4 C. brown sugar                    3/4 C. white sugar
1 egg                                               1 1/2 Stick butter
3/4 tsp. baking powder (can)   1/2 tsp. baking soda (yellow box)
2.5 C. flour                                  5 individual bags Pretzel M&Ms

Cream butter, sugar, and egg together. Add baking powder and soda. Add flour a little bit at a time until it gets thick like cookie dough should be. Gently fold in M&Ms. If you use the machine they will get broken.
I packed the cookies in Hello Kitty bags for the Prosecutor Office's Bake Sale.

Cream Cheese Swirl

1 package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
6 Tbs. sugar
vanilla

Using a hand mixer, blend until smooth. It will be a bit liquidy. Pour on top of 9x13 pan brownies. Using a spatula, cut into brownies and make a swirly pattern. Bake brownies as directed.

Brownies

I tried a new brownie recipe. I think they turned out rather well! Of course they are ready for Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Covered Pineapple

dark chocolate

Snowball Cookie

A snowball cookie is different from a Russian Tea Cake. Snowballs have chocolate chips, Tea Cakes have nuts. No nuts for me thanks.