Chocolate Truffles

What You Need

¾ cup whipping cream

¼ cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons liqueur (See Kitchen Tips)

7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

Grated chocolate, cocoa powder or chocolate wafer crumbs

Make It

Combine cream, butter and sugar in small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Remove from heat and add liqueur and chocolate.

Stir until chocolate is entirely melted.

Chill mixture until firm enough to handle. (3 to 4 hours)

Drop mixture by teaspoon amounts into grated chocolate, cocoa powder or chocolate wafer crumbs.

Or

Form into balls. Roll in grated chocolate, cocoa powder or chocolate wafer crumbs.

Kitchen Tips

- orange, almond, coffee liqueurs work well

- or 1 tablespoon instant coffee or 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder dissolved in the cream

Fudgey Gluten Free Brownies

This recipe is adapted from http://www.davidlebovitz.com. Head on over for more great recipes.

Makes 9 to 12 brownies

You can use salted or unsalted butter for these brownies. If you use unsalted butter and want to add some salt, use 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. I also like to add 2 to 3 tablespoons of roasted cocoa nibs along with the nuts for added chocolaty crunch.

Use very low heat for melting the chocolate and butter. A good trick is to add the butter to the pan first, which melts faster than the chocolate, so you don’t burn the chocolate. You can use a flame-tamer if you’re concerned but I always melt it right over the lowest heat possible and never have had any problems.

6 tablespoons (85g) butter, salted or unsalted (see headnote)
8 ounces (225g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process
3 tablespoons (30g) corn starch
optional: 1 cup (135g) nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. Line the inside of an 8-inch (23 cm) square pan with foil so that it goes up the sides to the rim. Lightly grease the foil with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350º (180ºC).

2. Melt the butter and chocolate (and salt, if using) in a medium saucepan over very low heat on the stove top, stirring constantly until smooth.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, then the eggs, one at a time.

4. Sift together the cocoa powder and corn starch in a small bowl then stir them into the chocolate mixture. Beat the batter vigorously for at least one minute, until the batter is no longer grainy and nearly smooth. It will pull away from the sides of the pan a bit.

5. Add the nuts, if using, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

6. Bake for thirty minutes, or until the brownies feel just set in the center. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.

Storage: The brownies can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days, or frozen for at least 1 month.

Troubleshooting: If the finished brownies are crumbly, that means you didn’t beat the batter long enough in step #4. You can use the brownie bits to fold into just-churned ice cream.

Gluten Free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is adapted from Land O Lakes and is another personal favorite of mine.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla

1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Combine flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum in medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine softened butter, brown sugar and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.) Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets. 

*Gluten-Free Flour Blend: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using.

Gluten Free Brownies

This recipe is one of my personal favorites. You can also use all purpose flour for regular brownies.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/3 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
1/3 cup cocoa

½ tsp. sea salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tsp.  espresso powder or 1 Tbsp.  strong coffee

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter and flour a 9×9” baking pan. In a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Add the coffee. Set aside to cool.

In another bowl mix the flour, cocoa and salt together and set aside.

In another bowl mix the eggs and sugar together being sure not to mix too much air into the mixture. Add the vanilla.

Slowly add the chocolate and butter combination to the sugar and eggs, mixing all the while but again, do not whip too much air in as you want the brownies to be rich and dense.

Mix the flour in to the chocolate mix and pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until just set in the middle and slightly dry around edges only (do not over-bake). Let cool completely. Dust with cocoa powder, if desired.

Notes: The original recipe used semi-sweet chocolate chips and I have made it with bitter-sweet chips and unsweetened. The recipe turned out fine.

Special Instructions: I add a single shot of espresso to the butter and chocolate mixture instead of espresso powder or coffee.

*Gluten-Free Flour Blend: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using.

Snowball Chocolate Cake

Yes, it's tastes just as good as the picture. I found this recipe in the Kraft Canada Magazine. It took a little longer to bake than the recipe said, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Just keep checking it every 5 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean.

What You Need!

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
1 pkg. (250 g) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 egg
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Instant Pudding
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 cup cold milk
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 cup flaked coconut

Make It!

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter, in 2-1/2-L ovenproof bowl, as directed on package; scrape side of bowl. Beat cream cheese, egg and granulated sugar until well blended; spoon into centre of batter in bowl.

BAKE 1 hour 5 min. or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in bowl 10 min. Loosen cake from bowl with knife; invert onto wire rack. Remove bowl. Cool cake completely.

MEANWHILE, beat dry pudding mix, icing sugar and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in Cool Whip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

PLACE cake on plate; frost with pudding mixture. Cover with coconut. Keep refrigerated.

Substitute 3 squares (84 g) Baker's White Chocolate, grated, for the coconut. To grate, first warm the chocolate in microwave on DEFROST 1 min. for each square or until warm. Use a coarse grater for best results.

Molten Dark Chocolate Cakes a.k.a. Lava Cakes

I have made these many times and the recipe never fails. The recipe originates from Kraft Canada. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate. Enjoy!

Molten Dark Chocolate Cakes

4 squares BAKER'S Premium 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. icing sugar
12 raspberries

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.



MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1 cup sugar; mix well. Blend in whole eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour. Pour into prepared custard cups.



BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centres are still soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert plates. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp. sugar. Top with raspberries. Cut in half. Serve warm.

Individual Chocolate Cake in 5 Minutes

Well, I just gave this recipe a try. I always like a little something chocolaty after pizza usually lava cakes, but these hit the spot. It's a hoot just watching them cook in the microwave as it looks like it going to blow up, but it doesn't. You're kids will love them!

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons Chocolate Chips (optional)
a splash of vanilla extract
1 Mug

Instructions:
Mix flour, sugar and cocoa:





Spoon in 1 egg

Pour in milk and oil, and mix well




Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt)


Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug


Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

Snowballs 2

I came across this recipe while surfing the net and it caught my eye. Moist and different it claims. It's because of the cake mix. You can do fudge, devil's food. Is there other flavors of chocolate cake mix? Oh the possibilities!

Snowballs

Ingredients:

2 cups two per cent milk or whole

1 1/4 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1 chocolate cake mix, dry (chocolate fudge is good)

4 cups fine coconut

4 cups rolled oats

Coconut for rolling

Method:

In a large saucepan heat the milk, sugar and butter until melted, not boiling. Remove from heat and cool. Add the chocolate cake mix, coconut and rolled oats. Let cool. Transfer to a large bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator overnight. Next day, form into small balls and roll in coconut. Place in the freezer until needed. I sneak mine right from the freezer, yummy!!

Snowballs

I just recently got back in touch with my friend Chris through Facebook. I ran into his mother at Walmart. He is currently living in the U.S. and recently mentioned the Snowballs we can get here. I told him I would post the recipe for him so he can have a little taste of home. The funny thing is that I cannot find my recipe, but my friend Kim at work made a comment on Facebook that she made really good one's or was it the best and she sent me the recipe. Thanks Kim!

I remember when I used to make them, I always thought they were too wet and always dumped in more rolled oats. Then they were too dry. I also burned the hands off myself by rolling the hot mixture. You can avoid both these issues by letting the mixture completely cool. Anyhow, I always thought they were good.

Snowballs

1/2 cup butter
3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp. cocoa

Boil butter, sugar, and milk a few mins. Remove from heat & add rolled oats,coconut & cocoa. Let cool. Form into balls & roll in coconut. Chill & serve.

Maggie's Decadent Brownies

I watched Paula Deen make these a while ago on the Food Network. I guess the reason that they are decadent, as she pointed out, is the full pound of butter that goes into them. As she was doing the swap out, she laid the uncooked one on the counter and finished icing the cooked one, then took a spoon and dived into the uncooked one. YUM!

Maggie's Decadent Brownies

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 sticks butter
4 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

Frosting:

4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup pasteurized egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
One 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2-quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla and mix well with a spatula. Add the flour and stir to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the brownies are baking, make the frosting. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the egg substitute, vanilla, and sugar and stir with a spoon until smooth. Stir in the marshmallows; they will soften but not melt completely. Spread the frosting over the warm brownies. The frosting will set up when the brownies are completely cooled. When cool, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares and store in the refrigerator in a plastic container with a snap-on lid.

Check out Paula Deen's recipe collection at www.pauladeen.com.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

I found this recipe while surfing the net for a dense chocolate cake recipe flavored with coffee. This rich, dense cake resembles fudge. I had to try it. I brought it to work for a treat and everyone raved about it.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

12 oz (3 sticks) unsalted butter c
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup)
10 Tbsp Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat over to 350F. Butter and flour cake pan. Line pan with wax or parchment paper.

Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over (not in) simmering water until melted, stirring often. (Or microwave at medium power until almost melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted.)

In large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, combine cocoa and boiling water. Add hot butter mixture, then sugar; beat until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add flour and salt; beat until blended.

Pour into prepared pan; smooth top with a spatula to make it even. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until 1 or 2 big cracks appear on top of cake and barely wobbles when you shake the pan. Do not overbake. (Don't bother inserting a toothpick; it will never come out clean!)

Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. If top of cake is uneven, level it by pressing down with your fingers. Loosen sides of cake by running spatula around edges. Invert cake onto rack; cool completely, preferably overnight, before decorating.

P.S. Seriously do not overbake this cake. I left it in 35 minutes waiting for the big cracks to appear and they didn't. The cake was more overdone at the edges. Cooling completely, overnight, is a must. It's how the cake develops the fudge like texture.

I also substitued hot strong brewed coffee for the boiling water.