Author: Chocolate Covered Weekly

Thank the Big Apple for these humongous chocolate chip cookies. This style of ultra-thick chocolate chip cookie, popularized by the New York bakery Levain, requires a dough with less sugar than flour and more chocolate chips than sugar. These ratios keep the cookies thick, not caky, with a flavor defined by the chocolate, so be sure to use the best-quality chips you can find. Part of the novelty of the cookies is their enormous size. They are eye-catching, for sure, but we recommend splitting them with a friend (or three). For nutritional purposes, that means we’re assuming one person is eating a quarter of a cookie. The portioned cookie dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Alternatively, the portions can be individually wrapped, then placed in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen dough to 40 degrees, unwrap and bake as directed. These cookies taste best when freshly baked, but leftovers may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; rewarm briefly in a 350-degree oven before serving.
Recipe notes: Cookbook author Stella Parks does not recommend leaving the nuts out of this recipe, as they help provide non-melting bulk to the cookies.

Ingredients:
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
• About 1/2 cup (113 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
• About 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (may substitute 1 teaspoon table salt), plus more for sprinkling (optional)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, cold
• About 2 1/4 cups (283 grams) all-purpose flour
• About 2 1/2 cups (425 grams) assorted chocolate chips (not chopped chocolate), such as a mix of milk, bittersweet and semisweet
• 8 1/2 ounces (scant 1 3/4 cups/240 grams) raw walnut pieces or lightly toasted pecan pieces (see NOTE)

Directions:
Step 1
Combine the butter, brown and granulated sugars, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low to moisten, then increase the speed to medium and beat until soft, fluffy and pale, about 8 minutes; halfway through, pause to scrape down the bowl and beater with a flexible spatula. With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, letting each incorporate fully before adding the next. Reduce the speed to low, then add the flour all at once. When the flour is incorporated, add the chocolate chips and nuts and keep mixing until the dough is homogeneous.
Step 2
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (about 6 ounces/170 grams each) and round each into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before baking; if well protected from air, the dough can be kept in the fridge up to 1 week.
Step 3
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. When the oven comes to temperature, arrange up to 4 portions of cold dough on the prepared pans, leaving ample space between them to account for spread. If you like, sprinkle with additional salt to taste.
Step 4
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for about 22 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and lightly brown or to an internal temperature of between 175 and 185 degrees. The ideal temperature will vary from person to person; future rounds can be baked more or less to achieve the desired consistency.
Step 5
Cool the cookies directly on the baking sheet until no warmer than 100 degrees (they should feel lukewarm) before serving. Enjoy warm, or within 12 hours; these cookies taste best when freshly baked.
Adapted from Stella Parks at SeriousEats.com.

Every baker has a love for sheet cakes. They’re perfect for when you want a delicious cake, but don’t want to fool with the hassle of a layer cake. And no one ever complains about turning a sheet cake into a poke cake by filling it with a delicious creamy filling, right? So this is the best of both worlds. If you love Reese’s peanut butter cups, you’re going to flip over this. And added, is even more Reese’s flavor by using International Delight’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Creamer to the filling. The frosting, made with creamy peanut butter and whipped topping, is peanut butter perfection. And it’s topped with mini Reese’s cups.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 10
Ingredients
• 1 (15.25-ounce) box milk chocolate cake mix
• Plus ingredients to make the cake as directed
• 1 (3.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups International Delight Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Creamer
• 1 (16-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 (8-ounce) package Reese’s Minis miniature peanut butter cups
Instructions
1. Prepare the cake according to the package directions.
2. Allow to cool 25 to 30 minutes in the pan.
3. Use the stick end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and the Reese’s creamer to make the chocolate peanut butter sauce.
5. Allow the mixture to thicken for about 10 minutes, then pour over the cake and into the holes. The mixture will not thicken completely to pudding consistency.
6. In a large bowl, whisk the peanut butter into the thawed whipped topping.
7. Spread the frosting over the cake.
8. Sprinkle the peanut butter cups evenly over the frosting.
9. Cover and keep refrigerated.
By Stacey Little, in Southern Bite

If there’s no real snow around to make snowballs, you’ll have these as a “reminder”! So easy to make and so, so good!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
• Confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
• Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set and bottoms are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Roll warm cookies in confectioners’ sugar. Cool completely on wire racks. If desired, reroll cookies in confectioners’ sugar.
Note: you can substitute chopped pistachios, macadamia nuts or even almonds for pecans and walnuts if you so choose. Or you can omit the nuts and add a few more chocolate chips. Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe from TasteofHome.com

 

Tastes as good as it sounds! And so easy to make – watch the video link and you’ll see (click HERE)! Don’t forget to add some chocolate shavings on top!

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, divided
2 packages (3.4 ounce each) instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups milk
Grated or shaved chocolate bar or extra chopped pecans

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium microwave safe bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Press the mixture into a pie pan and bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
Next, beat together with a mixer powdered sugar, cream cheese Spread over your cooled crust.
For the next layer, mix together the pudding mix and milk. Let thicken a bit. Spread over the cream cheese layer.
Spread the remaining Cool Whip on top and then top with chocolate shavings or pecans.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Try something scrumptious and healthy!, yet so easy to prepare!!!

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coconut flakes
1/4 cup honey
4 squares of dark chocolate chopped up
1/2 cup rolled oats

Directions:

Mix together all the ingredients. Put in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Then proceed, forming the balls and enjoy! Store prepared balls in refrigerator. They last up to a week – but they’re sure to be gone before then!”

Yields 6 balls

Yes, you can make this iconic Jewish cake!!!

Makes 4 babkas
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 4 hours

Ingredients

for the dough:
3/4 cup|170 grams whole milk
30 grams fresh yeast
2 1/4 cups|325 grams bread flour, sifted
2 1/4 cups|325 grams pastry flour, sifted
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup|110 grams granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 1/2 tablespoons|120 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes

for the chocolate filling:
450 grams Nutella
1 1/3 cups|200 grams bittersweet chocolate chips

for the sugar syrup:
3/4 cup|160 grams granulated white sugar
1/2 cup|120 grams water

you’ll need:
four 8 1/2-inch-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans

Directions
1. Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Break up the yeast into the milk and dissolve it into the milk with a whisk or using your fingertips. Dump the flour on top of the milk, then the eggs on top of the flour, then the sugar, then the vanilla, then the salt, then half of the butter. Begin mixing at the lowest speed. After 2 minutes increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for another 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl, if necessary, so that it all mixes together. The dough should begin to come together but won’t be smooth.
2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the rest of the butter, cube by cube, only adding more butter once the previous cube disappears into the dough. This process should take 2 to 3 minutes. Once all of the butter is incorporated, turn off the mixer. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
3. Lightly flour a work surface with bread flour, and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Knead the dough into a smooth ball.
4. Form the dough into a rectangle (measuring about 10 inches by 6 inches) and place on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to 12 hours.
5. Lightly grease four 8 1/2-inch-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans with nonstick baking spray. Lightly flour a work surface with bread flour, and transfer the dough to the floured surface. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a rectangle measuring about 36 inches by 9 inches—it’s fine if the rectangle is bigger (up to 40 inches by 12 inches) but no smaller than 36 inches by 9 inches. If the dough shrinks back as you roll it out, cover it with a towel or plastic wrap for 5 minutes to let it rest and then continue rolling again.
6. Using an offset spatula, spread the Nutella evenly out onto the dough, spreading it out to all of the edges. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly out over the Nutella.
7. Place the dough in front of you with the long, 36-inch side towards you. Starting from the lower left side of the dough, use your fingertips to roll the dough, working your way from the left side to the right side and using your fingertips to the roll the dough into a roulade as tightly as possible. The tighter the roulade is rolled, the more layers of chocolate the babka will have. Once you’ve rolled the dough, gently pull the roulade so that it reaches about 48 to 50 inches in length. Using a serrated knife, cut the roulade in half lengthwise, along its 36-inch length. Cut the dough crosswise into 4 even pieces. You should now have 8 roulade halves in 4 pairs of 2. Place one of the pieces cut-side up. Place another piece on top (also with the cut-side up) to make an X with the two pieces. Twist the two halves around each other, gently pulling the dough to wrap the two pieces around each other. This is what gives the babka its telltale braided characteristic. Transfer the babka to one of the loaf pans and repeat this process with the remaining 6 roulade halves to make 4 babkas in total.
8. Cover the babkas with a towel or place in a clean plastic bag to cover completely. Set in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. In the meantime, make the sugar syrup. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. The sugar should be completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
9. Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the babkas for 25 minutes in a convection oven or 30 minutes in a regular oven. Once they’re done baking, the babkas should be golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and immediately brush generously with the sugar syrup. You should still have about a quarter of the syrup leftover after brushing the babkas. You can refrigerate the syrup for up to a week and reserve it for a later use.
11. Let the babkas cool completely at room temperature before turning them out from their loaf pans.
You’ll find this recipe by Breads Bakery at Vice.com.

Gluten free chocolate pancakes: the breakfast you’ve been waiting for. This seemingly sweet recipe only has 1 banana to sweeten the whole batch and then some berries for the topping. Of course you can top your pancakes with pretty much anything! Why not top them with even more chocolate! Fluffy, super chocolaty, perfectly sweet, these gluten free chocolate pancakes are incredibly delicious & the perfect item on any brunch table!

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 potato starch
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch sea salt
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted coconut oil + some more for cooking
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (or plain unsweetened oat milk)

Preparation
• Toss all ingredients in a blender, blend until well combined.
• Over medium heat, pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter on a well-oiled pan. I use unscented coconut oil.
• When bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancake, flip and cook it for a minute on the other side.
• Garnish with berries & vegan Nutella, Enjoy!

Recipe by Natalie Yonan, published in OneGreenPlanet

Turn off your ovens, because there is no baking required. Bark takes just a few short minutes to throw together, yet is packed with flavors, both sweet and salty, and loaded with crunch. Whether you love dark chocolate or semisweet, choose a chocolate that is high quality, because this is what holds the bark together. Once you have chosen your chocolate, top with a combination of nuts, dried fruit, seeds, caramel or pretzels. You can throw them all into one or separate to make three seasonal options. The following recipe is for Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Bark and you can find recipes for Pumpkin Seed and Sea Salt Chocolate Bark and Dried Fruit Chocolate Bark, here.

Ingredients:

2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate
1/2 cup melted caramel candies
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring each time. Once the chocolate is 90% melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and continue stirring until all the chocolate is completely melted.
While the chocolate is melting, place the caramel candies and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Turn the heat on medium and stir until caramel is melted and the heavy cream is incorporated.
Spread the melted chocolate on the prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula, evenly spread the chocolate to cover the parchment paper until it’s approximately 1/4-inch thick.
Swirl in the caramel sauce throughout. Sprinkle the chopped pretzels and peanuts over the chocolate and caramel.
Allow the chocolate to cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours or, for quicker dry time, place the chocolate bark in the refrigerator to harden. Once the chocolate is set, cut or break the chocolate bark into a desired size and shape.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipes: Kristen Massad of Dallas, a pastry chef and graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, blogs at joyoliver.com.