Tag Archives: Chocolate

Homemade Mocha Coffee Creamer

This recipe makes 24 ounces of coffee creamer.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup fat free half and half
1 can sweetened condensed fat free (14 oz)
2 oz of your favorite chocolate (I used the one we recently made on our trip to Hawaii)
1 tb pure vanilla extract
1 tsp finely ground espresso powder

Directions:

Place all the ingredients (except for the vanilla extract) in a 2 quart sauce pan on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, do not allow this to come to a boil, simmer is optimal. Stir the mixture often with a whisk. Remove from heat, allow the liquid to cool slightly and whisk in vanilla extract. Set aside, it is also essential to allow the liquid to cool prior to pouring the creamer into a glass container. I recommend using a funnel for this step. Keep the vessel sealed in refrigerator. Make sure to shake the creamer well prior to each use. Since this coffee creamer is homemade and no preservatives it does tend to separate.

Chocolate Cookies with Mint M&M’s

What better way to celebrate the month of March and welcome spring with some green! These can be a very versitile cookies. Prior to baking you can top them off with just about anything your heart desires. I ran out of mint M&M’s (since my husband found my stash) so I had to use some butterscotch chips at one point.

This recipe yields 54 cookies using a size 60 scoop.

Pre directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees and paperline two half sheet pans with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Ap flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa

2 large eggs

1 cup raw sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 stick unsalted butter (softened to room temp)

3/4 cup vegetable shorten

2 tsp pure high quality vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

162 Mint M&M’s

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Cream butter, shorten, and both sugars in stand mixer on medium to medium high speed.

2. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Beat after each addition. Set aside.

3. In a seperate bowl whisk together both flours, cocoa, salt, and soda.

4. Gently add flour mixture to creamed batter and mix on low to incorporate.

5. Once everything is well mixed and without dry residue remove paddle attachment and scoop cookies onto the pan by using #60 scoop. Sccop evenly 12 cookies to a 1/2 sheet pan.

6. Spray bottom of drinking glass with cooking spray to flatten the cookie slightly.

7. Place 3 M&M’s to a cookie and press slightly to prevent the candy from falling out of place

8. Bake for 9 minutes on 350 degrees. Allow cookie to cool for 1 minute on tray and then remove to wire rack to cool the remainder of the way.

Enjoy !

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband’s favorite cookie is a chocolate chip cookie so I’m always looking at ways to reinvent the wheel. As you all know I get bored and tired of you making the same recipes. One of his other favorite bedtime snacks is milk and graham crackers. You can only imagine when I came across this recipe I just had to try it. This recipe is truly a marriage of two of his favorite sweets. Believe it or not it beat out his all time favorite dark chocolate chip cookies

This recipe yields 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients :

1.5 cups Graham Cracker crumbs
1.5 cups of sugar
1 cups AP Flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup of chocolate chips (dark is my husbands favorite) but you pick you poison)
1 cup of unsalted butter (two sticks)
2 eggs (local or egglands best)
1 tsp vanilla extract high quality
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Line 1/2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

1. Cream butter and sugar together in stand mixer on medium high speed.

2. In a separate bowl whisk together flours, graham cracker crumbs, and salt.

3. Once sugar and butter creamed add eggs one at a time on medium low speed. Then gradually add flour ingredients slowly on a low speed.

Once combined thoroughly.

Remove the whisk and fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon out using a size 60 scoop.

Bake for 11 minutes. Let the cookies set on the pan for 2 minutes (they will continue to bake).

Remove and allow to cool on wire rack. Enjoy with some skim milk!

Tiramisu Brownies

I made these for a coworker’s birthday the other day. She loves coffee! They are very rich and will definitely hit the spot if you are craving a chocolate fix. The marscapone gives the right bit of creaminess to these bite sized tasty little devils. The original recipe called for double the ingredients which made for a pricy dessert so I cut it in half and tried to decrease some of the saturated fat as well. The original is a TOH recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cake flour
1/16 cup instant coffee
1/16 cup espresso powder
1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (6oz)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 stick of butter (2 oz) softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup egg substitute
8 oz Marscapone cheese (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cocoa Dutch processed
1/2 cup raw sugar plus 1/8 cup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Foilline an 8 by 8 inch baking dish.

Set a side.

Mix flour with the coffee granules and expresso powder together in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl place the chocolate chips to melt.

Place in microwave and cook in 30 second intervals (Until melted).

Add butter, sugar, vanilla, and canola oil to melted chocolate.

Add egg substitute, and one egg, mix to incorporate.

Add dry mixture.

Whisk to mix ingredients together.

In a separate bowl mix marscapone, 1/8 cup of sugar and 1 egg until incorporated. Set aside.

Now take the brownie batter and place 3/4 cup to 1 cup on the bottom of the cooking sprayed 8 by 8 dish.

Top evenly with marscapone cheese batter; make sure to cover all the brownie batter.

Top with remaining brownie batter. Make sure to cover all the marscapone spread.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack and dust with coco powder.

Yields 16 brownies! Enjoy with you favorite cup of joe!

Chocolate Mini Oreo Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream!

Happy Fourth of July Chocolate Mini Oreo Cupcakes

I don’t know about you but my husband’s favorite generic cookie is an Oreo! What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July with Americans favorite cookie flavored Mini Cupcakes! Happy Fourth !

3/4 cup Ap Flour
1/3 cup high quality Dutch cocoa
(penzey’s is my favorite)
3/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 Cups of granulated sugar plus 2 tbs
1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions for Chocolate Minis

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift dry ingredients together in one bowl. Whisk wet ingredients together in another larger bowl. Once incorporated add dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Don’t over mix.

Line 30 mini cupcake liners with papers liners and Do Not Spray with cooking spray. Use number 60 scoop to portion out perfect sized minis. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes in oven. My oven only takes 11 minutes. Check minis using toothpick method at 9 minutes. Once toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven. Immediately remove minis from pan to stop baking.

Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled on wire rack before icing.

Oreo Buttercream
6 cups of Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
9 TB of Cream
8-10 Oreos (place in food processor and crush)
1 stick of butter ( 1/2 cup ) room temperature
2 Ounce of 1/3 Fat Reduced Cream cheese room temperature

Directions for Oreo Buttercream
Cream the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer until fluffy. Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time until incorporated. Mix slowly! Add liquids mix. Lastly add crushed Oreos add more cream as needed to desired consistency.

Yields 30 mini cupcakes using a number 60 Scoop

Chocolate Zucchini Whole Wheat Muffins

My husband and I went to our local farmer’s market yesterday after our bike ride. We bought their homegrown zucchini in bulk. I love baking with zucchini. I made these this morning for my 19 month nephew. He loves his vegetables! Hopefully he will love these too!

Ingredients:

1 cup of Shredded Zucchini (blotted well with paper towel to remove moisture)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup AP flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 and line 12 standard cupcake liners.

1. Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.