Author: Chocolate Covered Weekly

Why you will love this recipe: 3 words, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. And you don’t even have to get out the mixer! Try using white chocolate chips for an extra shot of sweetness.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup bitter sweet chocolate chunks
1 teaspoon flake salt
2 teaspoons turbinado sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium bowl using the microwave in 20 second increments until just melted, about 40 seconds. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla until incorporated. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.
Using a rubber spatula fold in the flour mixture until a few streaks of dry ingredients remain. Add the chocolate and fold a few more strokes to incorporate. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the flake salt and turbinado sugar. Bake for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

As posted on GIADZY.COM

This easy-to-make chocolate cake is dark, moist, rich–and only dirties one bowl!

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup hot strong black coffee
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a circle of wax paper.
Step 2: Whisk flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, egg, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add hot coffee and beat to blend. (The batter will be quite thin.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Step 3: Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan, peel off the wax paper and let cool completely. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar before slicing.

As posted on PRAGATIVADI.COM

Having success with chocolate doesn’t require a trip to culinary school or tutelage from a master chocolatier living high in the Swiss Alps. You simply need to understand a few basic rules. Cooking with chocolate typically involves melting it, and often, other ingredients are added to the melted chocolate. For example, adding cream to melted chocolate creates a sauce called ganache. Ganache can also be made with a number of other ingredients, including liqueurs, fruit purees, nut butters, and spices (via Handle the Heat). Before other ingredients are added, however, chocolate must go through a melting process called tempering. This process, which is used to give melted chocolate a desirable consistency, is sensitive to both temperature and moisture. If the chocolate reaches temperatures above 130 degrees Fahrenheit, it will burn and be unusable. If even a small amount of water or liquid is added to chocolate before it is tempered, it can cause the chocolate to seize (via Ghiradelli). Read more about tempering HERE.

 

 

One of the first things you notice on the label of a chocolate bar these days is a number, often in a prominent bold font and hard to miss when staring down your array of options at the grocery store. This number doesn’t refer to calories or price but to the percentage of cocoa the bar contains. More specifically, the number describes how much of the chocolate actually came directly from cacao beans (via Bar and Cocoa). From creamy 33% milk chocolate-peanut butter blends or 55% dark chocolate raspberry, all the way to intense 72% bars of bliss, the variety of chocolate available seems to grow constantly. When it comes to late-night bites or a shared movie theater snack, your selection really comes down to personal preference. But cooking requires a slightly more calculated approach as far as cacao percentage is concerned. From a favorite chocolate birthday cake to ganache-topped delicacies, delicious baked goods often call for specific types of chocolate in the recipe — so keep your pantry prepared by having a variety on hand. To discover why cocoa percentage is important when cooking with chocolate, read HERE.

 

If you’re baking a dessert with chocolate, incorporating some chocolate into candy, or making a dip for fresh strawberries, then you’ll need to melt some chocolate. And while using a double boiler may be the traditional method of choice for professional bakers, many home bakers find it easier to use their microwave instead. And while the microwave may seem to be the easiest method for melting chocolate, a lot can go wrong if you’re not careful. As Good Housekeeping explains, microwaves do not usually heat food evenly, which means there is a risk of overheating and potentially burning the chocolate if you try to melt it in a microwave, which would be a real shame indeed. Burnt (or “seized”) chocolate is thick and dull, and pretty much useless to dip or coat anything with, and really should either be tossed out entirely or used in a recipe where you’re meting chocolate with a liquid like butter or cream, warns Food52. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to mitigate the risk of ruining your chocolate in the microwave. To avoid burning chocolate in the microwave, read more, HERE.

 

Hamantashen have not been spared the general rise in the cost of food prices. But here’s a solution: Make your own.

Makes about 20 hamantashen.
Prep. time: 25 minutes, plus cooling and chilling
Cook time: 30 minutes

For the filling:
1 cup poppy seeds
½ cup whole milk or water
2 Tbsp. (¼ stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup soft brown sugar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup or runny honey
2 Tbsp. sultanas or raisins
30g. good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped, or dark chocolate chips
½ cup ground almonds
1 tsp. vanilla extract a pinch of fine sea salt

For pastry:
1¾ cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
A pinch of fine sea salt
⅔ cup (1¼ sticks) unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes
2 Tbsp. cold water
1 Tbsp. orange blossom
Water, or 2 tsp. lemon
Juice and 2 tsp. extra cold water
1–2 Tbsp. icing sugar, for dusting

First, make the filling. Grind the poppy seeds in a nut– or coffee-grinder, then place in a saucepan with all the other filling ingredients and heat gently, stirring constantly, until a very thick paste is formed that leaves the bottom of the pan clean when stirred, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, make the pastry. Put the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor with the well-chilled butter. Pour the cold water and orange blossom water or lemon juice/water mixture into the bowl, pulsing until the mixture looks like a moist crumble, then tip it into a bowl and gather it together to form a dough. Press the dough into a slightly flattened disc, then wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until the filling is cold and you’re ready to make the hamantashen. To make the pastry without a food processor, simply sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then lightly rub in the cubes of butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and orange blossom water or lemon juice/water mixture and mix to a dough, then shape, wrap and chill as above.
Preheat the oven to 190°C or 170°C with fan. Line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
Unwrap the chilled dough and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 3mm. Cut the pastry into approx. 20 circles, each about 7.5cm. in diameter (an empty, well-washed tuna makes for an ideal cutter, or just use a round cookie cutter).
Put a heaping teaspoonful of the cooled filling in the center of each pastry circle, then bring the edges of each up and over the filling to form a triangle, pinching them together with your fingers to ensure a tight seal but leaving a gap in the center of each to allow steam to escape. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a space between each one.
Bake for 25 minutes or until firm when gently touched, but uncolored. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then lightly dust with icing sugar. When quite cold, lightly dust them again, then serve.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months (defrost before serving).

By LAHAV HARKOV as posted  on JPOST.COM.

Chocolate and tahini are a perfect pairing for Purim.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup tahini paste
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

For the filling:

½ cup tahini
1 cup icing sugar
½ cup dark cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp milk (can also use
non-dairy milk or water)
1 tsp sesame oil

For the egg wash:

1 large egg + 1 Tbsp water

For the ganache:

½ cup bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons sesame oil
For decorating: (optional)
Flaky sea salt
Toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Prepare two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or baking paper sprayed with cooking spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, tahini and sugar and whisk together until smooth.

3. Sift flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients. Add chopped chocolate, and mix with a rubber spatula until a dough forms.

4. Work the dough briefly with your hands to form a ball. Set aside.

5. Combine all of the ingredients for the chocolate filling, and whisk until smooth.

6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to just over 1/2 cm thickness. Use a 8cm cutter to cut circles out of the dough.

7. Place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Brush the edges lightly with egg wash and pinch the corners together to form triangles.

8. Place on baking sheets about 4cm apart. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

9. To prepare the ganache: Over a double boiler, add chocolate and sesame oil. Heat until melted. (Or, use a microwave, heating the oil and chocolate in 20-second intervals and stirring between each turn until the chocolate is melted.)

10. Pour toasted sesame seeds into a shallow dish. Dip hamantaschen in the ganache and then in the sesame seeds, and place on a wire rack to cool. You can also sprinkle dipped hamantaschen with flaky sea salt. Once dipped, store in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.

Recipe by Stephanie Ganz for The Nosher as posted on AUSTRALIANJEWISHNEWS.COM.

Like the hot fudge cake or the St. Louis gooey cake, the Sicilian love cake is a little bit of culinary magic. A cheesecake-ish filling is spooned atop a regular old chocolate cake mix batter. The filling sinks as the cake bakes, transforming the entire dessert into something new and amazing. What’s more, it gets topped with a chocolate pudding frosting. The end result is a sheet cake guaranteed to make any crowd swoon.

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 box chocolate cake mix, plus the ingredients in the directions
Additional oil, for greasing the pan

Filling:

1 32-ounce tub ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Frosting:

2 cups whole milk
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix

Directions:

Preheat the oven according to the directions on the box of cake mix. Coat a 9-by-13-inch pan with oil. In a large bowl, prepare the cake batter (per the directions), pour it into the pan and set the pan aside.

Combine the ricotta, eggs, sugar and salt in the same bowl and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling onto the cake pan over the chocolate batter.

Bake until the cake is firm and the chocolate layer has risen to the top, about 40 minutes. Let the cake cool completely.

In a bowl, blend the pudding mix and milk until smooth, then frost the cake. Serve it straight out of the pan.

From Valerie Bertinelli’s book, “Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today” as posted on Salon.com

It goes without saying that classic treats like brownies or cookies, or even a favorite candy bar, will always cure a chocolate craving. But what about when you’re looking for something just a bit elevated from the norm? Cream puffs are a traditional dessert, but they can sometimes feel a bit too intimidating to tackle at home. Of course, a French bakery is always a great spot to grab a beautiful cream puff filled with luscious whipped cream. But what if you could pull off making them yourself? Certainly, it would be an impressive treat to serve for dessert, whether you’re hosting guests or simply gathering the family around the table. Cream puffs may seem like a challenging recipe, but this chocolate cream puffs recipe can be made in just 45 minutes and is easier to make than you think.

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES
Ingredients:
½ cup water
½ cup milk
8 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup flour
3 eggs
2 cups heavy whipped cream, divided
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
Optional Ingredients
Powdered sugar, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a small saucepan, add the water, milk, and salted butter. Turn the stove to medium heat to melt the butter.
When the butter is completely melted, turn the heat down to low. Stir in the flour, stirring rapidly until it’s entirely incorporated.
Continue to stir and cook the dough for one minute. It will begin to pull away from the sides of the pot and resemble mashed potatoes.
Transfer the beginning of the choux dough to a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the dough for a few minutes to cool it down.
Once the dough has cooled, add in the 3 eggs one at a time. Allow each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next. If the mixture seems too thick and won’t be pipeable, add another egg.
Scoop the choux dough into a piping bag. Pipe mounds of choux dough on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the choux for 20 minutes until the tops are lightly golden brown. Do not open the oven while baking.
Remove the cream puff shells from the oven and poke them with a toothpick or skewer to create a small hole in the side to allow them to vent. Set aside to cool.
While the cream puff shells cool, make the chocolate topping. Heat ½ cup heavy whipping cream until boiling. Chop the baking chocolate and put it in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over top, allow it to sit, and then stir or whisk until smooth.
Once the cream puff shells are cool, cut them in half horizontally. Dip the tops in the prepared chocolate topping, and allow them to set at room temperature.
While the chocolate sets, make the chocolate whipped cream. Pour the remaining 1 ½ cups heavy cream into a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Mix in the cocoa powder. Add powdered sugar, if desired, to taste.
Pipe the bottom shells with chocolate whipped cream and carefully place the top back on. Serve immediately.

As posted on TastingTable.com.

The texture of this microwave cake is a little different than a regularly baked cake; but in terms of taste it is simply delicious.

Ingredients for the cake:

Plain flour (maida) — 2 cups
Baking powder — 2 tsp
Instant coffee powder — 1 tsp
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) — ¼ cup
Castor sugar (alternatively powdered sugar can be used) — ¾ cup
Oil (odorless) — ½ cup
Warm water — 2 cups
Dark chocolate (melted) — 200 gm
Fresh cream (at room temperature) — 100 gm
Strawberries — 12-15
Blueberries — 8-10

Method for the cake:

*Take a bowl and add 2 cups of plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp instant coffee powder, 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Mix well.

*Take another bowl and add the castor sugar and half a cup of odorless oil. Mix well.

*Now strain and add dry ingredients into the wet ingredient batter. Whisk well to avoid getting lumps.

*Take a microwave safe plate or tray and grease with oil. Place a parchment paper on it and bake for 5 minutes in a microwave.

*Rest the cake for 10 minutes after taking it out of the microwave.

*Melt 200 gms of dark chocolate and mix in 100 gms of fresh cream with the melted chocolate to make ganache.

*Demould the cake onto the plate and set aside.

*Pour ganache in a piping bag and proceed to spread evenly on the cake in concentric circles.

*Decorate the cake with fresh strawberries, blueberries and a mint leaf.

As posted on IndianExpress.com.

Next time you’re in the baking aisle, spend an extra minute or two in the chocolate section—the possibilities are endless! Want to know how to melt chocolate for dipping fruit? Cocoa powder for Ree Drummond’s sheet cake? How about a rich chocolate for brownies? Or chocolate chips for cookies? There’s a chocolate for everything! But how do you know what to use? Click HERE and read on for 12 of the most popular types of chocolate—and the best ways to try them.