Author: Chocolate Covered Weekly

Check out the EMMYMADE channel on YouTube for this quick and scrumptious recipe for Thin Mints. 3 ingredients! Just chocolate, peppermint OIL – and Ritz Crackers! 10 minutes to make! And so tasty! Emmy will walk you through, in detail, the process for making these Thin Mints. They’ll remind you of the all-time favorite Girl Scout cookies! Click, HERE, and check out Emmymade for the YouTube video and recipe for these Thin Mints.

These low carb chocolate peanut butter cookies melt in your mouth as you eat them. They only need 3 ingredients. The cookies take about 20 minutes to make including baking time. The cookies also store well.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (128 g) unsweetened natural peanut butter
5 tbsp (46 g) allulose
1 1/2 tbsp (11 g) unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Add peanut butter to a large mixing bowl. Sift in the allulose with a small strainer. I recommend sifting it in because it makes it much easier to mix it in. While most of the allulose should easily sift in, you may be left with a few bigger clumps. Use your fingers to break down those clumps by pressing and moving them inside the strainer. If you are left with a few tiny hard lumps that won’t break up any further, you can just leave those out. Stir the allulose into the peanut butter until it is completely incorporated and thickens the peanut butter.
Add in cocoa powder. Stir it in until your mixture is uniform in color. Your mixture should also be thick, like cookie dough. You can taste the dough at this point and if you wish for more sweetness you can add another 1 tbsp of allulose. If you want more chocolate flavor you can add another 1/2 tbsp of cocoa powder.
Using a 2 tsp cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Roll dough between palms until it becomes a round ball. Place onto cookie sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. If you don’t have a 2 tsp cookie scoop, you can just use a regular teaspoon to measure out 2 tsp of dough per cookie.

Place cookies in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Be very careful not to bake too long because the cookies overcook very fast and will taste burnt if overcooked. It is a little tricky to tell when these cookies are cooked because they will still look wet on top (this is because of the allulose). You don’t want to wait for the tops of the cookies to be dry. Only the bottom sides (about 1/3 up from the bottom of the cookie) of the cookies should look dry and cooked. Let cookies cool completely and set before removing them from the cookie sheet. If desired, dust with more allulose before serving.
NOTES
These cookies have a firm exterior and when you bite in, they will feel soft, buttery and melt in your mouth as you eat them. They are lightly sweet.
I have only tested this with unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder. I think it should work with unsweetened natural cocoa powder but I have not tested it.
This recipe works best with allulose and not other low carb sweeteners like erythritol or monk fruit. See my post for a fuller explanation.
I use Micro Ingredients allulose.*
*This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases
If you are on a keto diet, please remember to look at net carbs and not just total carbs in the estimated nutrition. The net carbs count excludes fiber and carbs from allulose.
NUTRITION
serving: 1cookie, calories: 58kcal, carbohydrates: 6g, protein: 3g, fat: 5g, saturated fat: 1g, sodium: 20mg, fiber: 1g, sugar: 0.3g, carbs from allulose: 4g, net carbs: 1

As posted on KirbieCravings.com. Check out this link (click HERE) for more details about these cookies.

If you blast your chocolate in the microwave, that might well be to blame – far better to melt it gently in warm cream first. After years of making truffles and ganache with no problem, they’re suddenly seizing up and turning into an oily mess. I’ve tried different dark chocolates and melt in the microwave. What’s going on? “It could be the chocolate itself, so check the ingredients, because there might be other things interfering,” says Guardian baking columnist Ravneet Gill. Baking chocolate, for example, often contains added oils and fats, which make it less reliable, so Gill suggests using a 70-72% bar from the confectionery aisle instead. And, says Joanna Brennan, co-founder of Pump Street Chocolate in Orford, Suffolk, buy the best quality you can afford: “Truffles and ganache are 100% based on the taste of the chocolate and cream.” (At their simplest, they are, after all, just two parts chocolate to one part cream.) Learn more, HERE.

Mississippi Mud Cake – tender chocolate cake layered with gooey, melted marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting. The difference between Mississippi Mud Cake and Mississippi Mud Pie? Mississippi mud cake and Mississippi mud pie are “distant cousins”. Both are decadent, layered chocolate desserts that are said to have hailed from the state of Mississippi, and both resemble the color of mud — hence the names! Mississippi mud pie consists of a chocolate cookie pie crust, followed by a brownie layer, topped with a layer of chocolate pudding, and sealed with whipped cream on top. So, while these desserts are alike in some ways, they are mostly very different.

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CAKE
2 large eggs
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (10-ounce) bag mini marshmallows (about 4 cups)
FOR THE FROSTING
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole or 2% milk
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:
Place 2 large eggs, 1 cup whole or 2% milk, and 1/2 cup sour cream in a medium bowl and let sit until room temperature, 30 to 45 minutes.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil.
Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Add 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth and combined. Pour over the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula until just combined.
Transfer into the baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 33 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and evenly scatter 10 ounces mini marshmallows (about 4 packed cups) over the cake. Return to the oven and bake until the marshmallows start to melt, 2 to 3 minutes.
Place the baking dish on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: melt 1 stick unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup whole or 2% milk, 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until combined. Slowly sift in 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool until the cake is ready.
Slowly pour the frosting over the warm cake and spread into an even layer. Let sit until the frosting is set, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.
RECIPE NOTES
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

As posted on TheKitchn.com

 

This somewhat miraculous easy chocolate mousse method was created by molecular gastronomy researcher Hervé This. To make the mousse, you’ll whip melted chocolate with water over an ice bath until it puffs into a silky dessert. If by chance it doesn’t increase in volume, just remelt and add a bit more chocolate. And if you begin to reach the first hint of graininess, stop right there. Once you nail the basic technique, you can play around with substituting coffee or tea for part of the water, or swirling different additions through your final mousse. Note this mousse is best prepared fresh and served immediately; it changes texture if stored.

Ingredients:
4 servings

9 oz. dark chocolate, at least 70% cacao, chopped into small pieces
Whipped cream and topping
2 Tbsp. finely chopped raw unsalted almonds or hazelnuts (optional)
¼ cup cold heavy cream
1 Tbsp. sugar or maple syrup
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Mousse:
Step 1
Prepare an ice bath: Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set aside a small bowl that can fit snugly inside.

Step 2
Heat ¾ cup water in a small saucepan until steaming, then add 9 oz. dark chocolate, at least 70% cacao, chopped into small pieces. Remove from heat and whisk until melted. Alternatively, melt chocolate in ¾ cup water over a bain marie.

Step 3
Use a spatula to scrape melted chocolate into reserved small bowl. Nestle bowl inside ice bath, then whisk chocolate vigorously with a hand whisk until texture resembles lightly whipped cream, about 2 minutes. Whip it less than you think—to the point of soft, floppy peaks that just hold their shape; the mousse will set up very quickly. If mixture is very thick and grainy-looking, that means you have over whipped. Don’t worry, it’s not ruined! You can re-melt the mixture in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 10-second intervals until smooth and try again. The remelted mixture will not completely deflate. Whisk gently until slightly thickened but still slightly looser than the first attempt, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scoop into serving bowls.

Whipped cream and topping:
Step 4
If using almonds, preheat oven to 350°. Scatter 2 Tbsp. finely chopped raw unsalted almonds or hazelnuts on a sheet tray and toast until fragrant, 10–12 minutes.

Step 5
Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup cold heavy cream, 1 Tbsp. sugar or maple syrup, and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in a medium bowl to soft peaks, about 2 minutes.

Step 6
Top each serving of chocolate mousse with 2 generous spoons of whipped cream, a sprinkle of toasted almonds or hazelnuts, if using, and a small pinch flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

As posted on EPICURIOUS.COM

If you love candy brittle and are as obsessed with brownies as we are, then this brownie brittle will be your new favorite snack. Crisp and crunchy with deep cocoa flavor, this sweet snack bark is both insanely easy to make and incredibly addictive. Beware—you won’t be able to stop at just one piece!

This brownie brittle is super-easy to make, but there are a few key things to keep in mind:

1. Use parchment paper. Lining your baking sheet with parchment paper makes it easy to lift the entire sheet of brownie brittle off the pan. Without it, the brittle will definitely stick.

2. Spread the batter as evenly as possible. Because of how thin this brittle is, it’s important to get it spread as evenly as possible so it will cook evenly and not burn around the edges before the middle is cooked. We love using a metal offset spatula for this, but a rubber spatula works as well.

3. Cut the brittle while it’s warm. There are two ways to break up this brittle: Cut it into neat squares, or break it into irregular shards. Either works, but if you want your brittle cut into neat squares, you’ll need to slice it when it’s still warm. A sharp knife works well, or you could use a pizza wheel if you have one.

4. Use real white chocolate. A lot of cheap “white chocolate” sold today is made of sugar and hydrogenated oils and doesn’t actually contain any cocoa butter. It may taste fine, but it might not melt as well for you. For best results, look for white chocolate that actually contains cocoa butter; we like Ghiradelli.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. (247 g.) granulated sugar
1/3 c. (57 g.) chopped semisweet (60%) baking chocolate
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. neutral oil
1/3 c. (28 g.) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 large egg whites
3/4 c. (90 g.) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
4 candy canes, crushed (about 1/3 c.), divided
1/3 c. (57 g.) chopped white chocolate

Directions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 17″-by-11″ rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave granulated sugar, semisweet chocolate, and water in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in oil, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Let cool slightly, then stir in egg whites. Fold in flour and baking powder just until combined.
Step 3
Evenly spread batter onto prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with chips and half of candy cane pieces.
Step 4
Bake, rotating pan every 10 minutes, until firm in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Using parchment, lift brownie off baking sheet and transfer to a cutting board. While still hot, slice into squares with a sharp knife. (Brownie brittle will become crisper as it cools.)
Step 5
In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave white chocolate in 10-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over cooled brownie brittle and sprinkle with remaining candy cane pieces.
Step 6
Make Ahead: Undecorated brownie brittle can be made 1 month ahead. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze.

As posted on Delish.com

This copycat version of the viral Costco pie might just be better than the original, from the graham cracker crust to the creamy layer of peanut butter and chocolate-marshmallow topping.

SERVES
8 to 10

MAKES
1 9-inch pie

PREP
50 minutes

COOK
2 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRUST:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
12 full sheets graham crackers (6 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE CHOCOLATE FILLING:
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (2 1/2 ounces)
1 cup cold heavy cream, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup cold heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS:
MAKE THE CRUST:
Place 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH until just melted, about 40 seconds.
Break 12 full sheets graham crackers and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds (about 1 1/2 cups).
Add the butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when pinched between your fingers, 10 to 12 (1-second) pulses. Reserve 1/4 cup for garnish.
Transfer the remaining mixture to a standard 9-inch pie pan (not deep dish). Using a flat-bottomed measuring cup, press it evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides. Refrigerate while you make the fillings.
START THE CHOCOLATE FILLING:
Place 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the marshmallows are mostly melted, about 1 minute total.
Immediately add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool until barely warm to the touch, 20 to 30 minutes.
MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
Wash and dry the food processor. Place 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in the food processor. Process until well combined, about 1 minute.
Add 3/4 cup cold heavy cream and process until smooth and thick, 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to overprocess, as it can cause the fat to separate and appear curdled. Transfer 3/4 cup to a quart-size zip-top bag or pastry bag fitted with a star pastry tip and reserve for garnish. Transfer the remaining peanut butter filling into the chilled crust and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate while you finish preparing the chocolate filling.
FINISH THE CHOCOLATE FILLING:
Place the remaining 3/4 cup cold heavy cream and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Transfer 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture and stir to lighten the mixture. Add the remaining whipped cream and gently fold just until no streaks of cream remain.
Transfer the chocolate filling over the peanut butter filling and spread into an even layer. Pipe the reserved peanut butter filling decoratively around the border of the pie. Lightly sprinkle the reserved graham cracker crumbs around the edge of the peanut butter border. Refrigerate uncovered until the filling is set, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
RECIPE NOTES
Make ahead: The crust can be made ahead, well wrapped, and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Storage: Leftover pie can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days. While freezing may be a bigger concern for Costco’s 12-inch, 4 1/2-pound pie, you may still want to preserve a portion of this copycat pie for later. The good news is yes, you can freeze the pie for up to one month. Place the pie, uncovered, on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then wrap in aluminum foil. To thaw, unwrap the pie and place in the refrigerator overnight.

As posted on THEKITCHN.COM

The earthy flavors of stout beer pair perfectly with three kinds of chocolate in these dense, fudgy brownies. You can use bittersweet or semisweet, bars or chips, depending on what you have on hand, but this recipe is at its best using bar chocolate because of its meltability. A sprinkling of milk chocolate chips before baking is a sweet counterpoint to the rich, complex brownies. Do not overbake them: When the brownies are done, they will appear just set in the center and on the verge of underbaked. They’ll set further as they cool. Chilling the brownies makes them easier to cut, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

Yield: One 9-inch pan (16 brownies)

INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick spray
1¼ cups/160 grams all-purpose flour
⅓ cup/30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
12 ounces/340 grams finely chopped bar bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups/300 milliliters stout beer, at room temperature
8 ounces/225 grams milk chocolate chips (or other chocolate chips, if you prefer)

PREPARATION:
Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-9-inch pan with nonstick spray, and line with parchment paper, leaving about 1½ inches of excess paper on two sides (these will serve as “handles” to help remove the brownies from the pan later).

Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (if using) and salt to combine; set aside.

Step 3
Fill a medium pot with about 2 inches of water, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a large bowl on top of the pot, and add the 12 ounces of chocolate and the butter to the bowl. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is fully melted and smooth. Add the sugar and continue to heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Step 4
Remove the bowl from the heat. Use a whisk to mix in the eggs, one at a time, whisking well until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Whisk in the vanilla.

Step 5
Whisk in half the flour mixture, then gradually whisk in the stout, mixing just until combined. Add the remaining flour/cocoa mixture and whisk just until combined. Do not overmix.

Step 6
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the batter, then transfer to the oven and bake until the brownies appear just set in the center, 23 to 30 minutes. They should seem slightly underbaked and will firm up as they cool.

Step 7
Cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (It’s easier to cut the brownies when they’re chilled.) Use the parchment “handles” to gently lift the brownies out of the pan, and cut into 16 even pieces. Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Recipe by Erin Jeanne McDowell as posted on NYTimes.com.

 

These are made with a combination of cocoa and milk chocolate, which gives them that rich chocolate flavor. They are also extremely moist due to the addition of the bananas and applesauce.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 medium bananas
1 egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup milk chocolate chips, or more if desired

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 12 muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray or line with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork and add in the egg, oil, vanilla and applesauce. Be sure to stir until all wet ingredients are well-blended.
Add the dry ingredients – flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt – and combine. Be careful not to over-stir the ingredients.
Fold in chocolate chips and spoon into muffin tins, about 2/3 full.
Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Transfer to cooling rack and let muffins set for about 5 minutes before eating. Enjoy.

As posted on AlabamaNewsCenter.com. This recipe originally appeared on Beautiful Eats & Things.

Chocolate sits in a dessert category of its own, which is highlighted by the fact that, per Statista, the average American consumes around 20 pounds of the stuff each year. There’s no shortage of ways to eat the cacao-based treat, whether you enjoy munching on bars, popping Lindt Lindor truffles, sipping on a warm cup of cocoa, or savoring a scoop of ice cream. But one of our favorite ways to enjoy chocolate is via fondue. Although it’s often limited to special occasions, there’s no reason why a bubbling pot of the sweet treat shouldn’t be on the menu more regularly. Dipping assorted foods into a chocolate bath instantly turns your dining experience into a chocoholic’s dream. Whether you’re eating the coated bites as chocolate dribbles down your chin or letting it chill and set for a portable treat, there’s no denying that chocolate-coated food is a step up. Fruits are often the go-to dippable items for fondue, but it’s no secret that sweet and salty flavors pair well together, awakening your palate with contrasting rich and savory tastes in each bite. If you’re looking to vary the sweet-on-sweet flavors, consider trying one of these savory dippers (click HERE) the next time you’re melting chocolate for fondue.

 

Worrying about bar chocolate or chocolate chips in your cookies seems like the epitome of a luxury problem. They are both chocolate, one of the most beloved treats in the world, and you are about to eat cookies. What’s there to complain about? Of course, when you treat yourself to some cookies you want them to be the best cookies they can be — you want to break apart that cookie and have the chocolate melting out like you’re in a Tollhouse commercial. And if you’ve made your fair share of cookies in the past, you know they won’t always live up to that ideal. So, as picky as it may seem, it might be time to start worrying about chocolate. Chocolate doesn’t just bring flavor to a cookie, it also brings texture. Soft pockets of chocolate studded throughout a cookie bring a pleasing, silky contrast, whether they be buttery and crisp or dense and chewy. You might assume recipes use chocolate chips because they’re the best option for that job, but the reality is that we use chocolate chips either out of convenience, unquestioned tradition, or both. It is called a chocolate chip cookie after all, and you have no reason to think anything other than chips are the right choice. But bar chocolate is made differently than chocolate chips, and those differences manifest themselves in how the two react when they are baked in a cookie. To learn why bar chocolate is better than chips for homemade cookies, click HERE.

 

Melty dark chocolate between grilled slices of sourdough bread—quite simply, it’s perfection. Credit for this visionary dish, aka the chocolate sandwich, goes to Ari Weinzweig, author of “Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating.” We’ve tweaked this delightful snack ever so slightly by adding slices of sweet clementine. But you could play with strawberries, raspberries, apples … or just keep it classic.

Chocolate Sandwich with Clementines Recipe
Serves 1

Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
• 2 slices sourdough bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
• 1 ounce (2 large squares) bittersweet dark chocolate
• 1 clementine

Directions | Butter each slice of bread on one side. Sandwich the chocolate between the non-buttered sides. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, place the sandwich in the center. Set a bowl or plate on the sandwich to weigh it down. Cook until the bottom of the bread is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the sandwich over and brown the other side, about 3 minutes more. Serve warm with a sweet clementine.

From Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating (2003 Houghton Mifflin), as posted on MyNorth.com.

 

IF 2020 TAUGHT Jill Lightner anything — aside from what to sing while washing her hands — it taught her to never take eggs for granted! She’d never experienced a “sold out” sign for a grocery store staple before finding one in an otherwise-empty egg bay.  All this to say that Mimi Council’s book, “Effortless Eggless Baking” (Countryman Press, November 2022), has been much appreciated in her kitchen, as her substitutes aren’t difficult to find, complicated to construct or universally expensive. Council’s most common egg replacers involve dairy, sometimes in the form of milk and heavy cream, but often a cultured product such as yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk. Unsweetened applesauce and cornstarch also make appearances. The book includes recipes that don’t typically have eggs, like shortbread; only sometimes have eggs, like scones; and others that nearly always do, like layer cakes and brownies. In the opening chapter, Council writes, “I’ll let you in on a little secret: Eggs can actually make baked goods dry out faster than baked goods without eggs. Why? Because egg whites are mostly water and not fat, and water tends to have a drying effect on baked goods. When you use whole eggs in baked goods, you’re including extra water via those egg whites.” Jill made these brownies easily by hand rather than with the suggested stand mixer, using a whisk when mixing liquids and melting chocolate, and switching to a spatula to blend the dry ingredients. Zero judgment regarding your preferred brownie size, but she cut the pan into 20 brownies, not the nine suggested.

Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies
Makes 9 large brownies

¾ cup cane sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup Dutch cocoa powder
½ cup boiling water
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup chocolate milk
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons organic cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cane sugar, brown sugar, dark chocolate, cocoa and boiling water, and mix on low until the chocolate and cocoa have completely melted together with the sugar; there should be no chunks of chocolate.
Add the canola oil, chocolate milk, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sea salt and vanilla bean in that order, and mix on low until combined. Do not overmix. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the baking pan. Cut into brownies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Gluten-free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a scant 1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour blend.

High altitude: Bake at 350°F for 18 to 23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Jill Lightner is a Seattle-based food writer. Her most recent book is “Scraps, Peels and Stems: Recipes and Tips for Rethinking Food Waste at Home.” Website: jilllightner.com. This recipe was posted on SeattleTimes.com.

Everything looks and tastes better when chocolate is involved, and chocolate dipped strawberries top the list! According to Roman history, strawberries were the symbol of Venus, the goddess of love. In the 1960’s, a lady working in a food store in Chicago, thought up the idea of dipping the fruit in chocolate, and this has since gained in popularity as a dish for Valentine’s Day or for other romantic occasions. Covering strawberries in chocolate is a fun family activity, and an easy and cheap way to transform the appearance of the strawberry to an impressive and fancy bite-sized dessert.

What is the best chocolate to dip strawberries?

Using good quality chocolate is important. Since only one ingredient besides the strawberries is used the taste of the chocolate will be pronounced. We prefer to use dark chocolate as the main covering but milk chocolate or white chocolate are lovely further additions for decorating and pattern making. Take care not to burn the chocolate during melting, and always allow time for the dipped chocolate to set before further decorating of the strawberries. Most chefs use Cacao Barry or Valrhona chocolate but all depends of course where you are and how much you use chocolate.

Is adding oil necessary?
It is not essential but adding vegetable oil or another flavorless oil, such as grapeseed oil can help to make the chocolate look shinier. It will also be smoother to work with and enable thinner coating of the fruit.

Follow these instructions to avoid burning the chocolate:

Fill the bottom of a saucepan with water and choose a bowl that fits on top without touching the water.
Bring the water to a simmer and reduce the heat to the minimum.
Place the bowl with the chocolate on top and allow the steam to melt the chocolate.
Keep control of the heat and once the chocolate starts melting, stir until smooth and shiny.

INGREDIENTS:

16 pcs large fresh strawberries
400 gr dark chocolate 72%
300 gr white chocolate
40 gr crushed granola
40 gr toasted crushed hazelnuts
40 gr toasted crushed pistachios

INSTRUCTIONS:

Gently wash the strawberries and dry them well on a kitchen towel.
Prepare toppings of your choice and a tray with parchment paper.
Melt the different chocolates separately in bain-maries (as described above).
Dip each strawberry in the melted chocolate and coat with your favorite topping.
Place the coated strawberries on the parchment paper to crystalize.
Use a ‘paper cornet’ or a small piping bag to drizzle additional chocolate to decorate the fruits.

NOTES
The coated strawberries will keep in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 days.

NUTRITION FOR 1 PORTION
Calories: 147kcal
Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 0.3mg
Sodium: 28mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 9g
Vitamin A: 3IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 78mg
Iron: 0.4mg

AS POSTED ON CulinaryAmbition.com