Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are delectable, especially when warm. And SUPER easy to make-- you don't even have to get the mixer out! Yay! I used bananas I had in my freezer. The espresso powder was somewhat problematic. You can use instant coffee, but I have tried this with so-so results in the past, so I decided to find the real thing this time. I got mine at Williams- Sonoma, and I've also heard you can get it at Whole Foods.

This recipe is from Smells Like Home.

1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Truffle Hot Chocolate Balls

This is another make- ahead recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe that I am excited to keep on hand. It's not exactly hot chocolate weather, I know, but I also knew I didn't want to wait until next (gasp!) winter to try these. So I just went ahead and made them. Yum, yum, yummy!

*Makes about 9-10 hot chocolate balls

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar (optional - I liked the richness of the chocolate without but in another batch, my kids and husband liked the extra sweetness)

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring often, until the mixture is combined and very smooth and silky. When you first start stirring, after the first minute or so, you'll wonder if this mixture will ever come together. It will look grainy and messy but after it heats thoroughly and is whisked to combine, it will magically become beautifully smooth. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate can seize. The trick is to stir often since the mixture will blend together even when it looks like the chocolate chips haven't melted completely.

Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the ganache mixture is firm and scoopable, about 2-3 hours. Scoop out about 1/4-inch spoonfuls of the mixture and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. My cookie scoop is about 1 1/2 tablespoons. I mounded two of the heaping cookie scoops full of ganache on top of each other to form one ball. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the mounds harden slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Roll the chilled mounds into balls and place on squares of plastic wrap (about 4 inches by 4 inches). Pull the sides of the plastic wrap over to cover the ball and place the balls in the freezer until ready to use.

To make the hot chocolate: pour 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups (depending on how rich you like your cocoa) milk into a microwave-safe mug. Carefully drop one unwrapped truffle hot chocolate ball in the milk. Microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir well until the chocolate is combined with the milk. Serve warm!

Dark Chocolate Tart with gingersnap crust

Please, please, just make this... I promise... just make it! It is simple and lovely, and it has a wow factor that makes it appropriate for dinner parties or holidays.

This recipe comes, once again, from the culinary genius over at Smitten Kitchen.

Crust:
8 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies), coarsely broken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted

Filling:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Softly whipped cream, for serving

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely grind gingersnap cookies in processor (yielding 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups). Add melted butter and process until moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet.

For filling:
Combine finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, flour, ground black pepper, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Very gradually whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until smooth and blended. Pour chocolate filling into crust.

Bake chocolate tart until filling puffs slightly at edges and center is softly set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack. Cool tart in pan 20 minutes. Gently remove tart pan sides and cool tart completely.

Cut tart into thin wedges and serve.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

As you know, I would eat cardboard if it had nutella on it. So I was totally excited when my friend shared the link to this recipe! I love how soft and chewy these cookies stayed (I only baked them for 10 minutes), but would probably like them better if the nutella flavor was more pronounced. I may try adding extra nutella in the future, just to see how it turns out. Enjoy!

Source: Kirbie's Cravings Food Blog
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup Nutella
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips


Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prep baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, the sugar and the brown sugar. Add the eggs and the vanilla until combined.

4. Gradually add the flour until the mixture is combined.

5. Then mix Nutella. Finally add in the chocolate chips.

6. Use ice cream scoop and drop on baking sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes.

Nutella Fudge

Yes, you read that right, it says nutella fudge. I almost had a conniption fit when I found this over at Beth Cooks, after being referred there by my friend, Stephanie. Simple, delicious, totally shareable, and definitely party worthy if you're in need of something quick and easy to take to your next shindig!

Drumroll, please:

Adapted from Cooking Canuck

Butter, for greasing pan
1 (14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz. high-quality bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips**
1 cup Nutella, room temperature
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Sea salt, approximately 1/2 tsp

** I used bittersweet baking squares because they didn't have any chips that dark.

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl on a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.

Makes approximately 50 3/4-inch squares.

Pumpkin- Chocolate Tiramisu

I have made this recipe twice now, and both times it has been a hit! It is just the right mix of pumpkin and chocolate. Bonus: it is SUPER SIMPLE and quick to make.

source: Everyday Food, Nov. 2010

You can serve this the same day it's made, but it's best when refrigerated overnight.

1 C. mascarpone cheese

1 1/4 C. cold heavy cream, divided

3/4 C. confectioners' sugar

5 Tbsp. almond flavored liqueur (any of the amarettos, recipe suggests Disaronno), divided

1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped, or chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 tsp. for dusting

27- 30 ladyfingers (I bought these at the bakery in my grocery store)

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, for dusting

1. In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone until smooth. Add 1 C. heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and 2 Tbsp. liqueur; whisk until soft peaks form, 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, fold in pumpkin puree until completely incorporated.

2. In a small microwave- safe bowl. combine chocolate and 1/4 C. heavy cream. Microwave in 10- second increments, stirring each time, until chocolate is melted. Stir until mixture is smooth. Transfer one- third of the pumpkin mixture to a medium bowl and fold in chocolate mixture until combined. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tbsp cocoa into 1/3 C. hot water; add 3 Tbsp. liqueur.

3. Cover bottom of an 8- in. square baking dish with ladyfingers (about 9). Liberally brush with cocoa mixture and top with half the pumpkin mixture. Add another layer of ladyfingers, brush with cocoa mixture, and top with all the pumpkin- chocolate mixture. Add a third layer of ladyfingers, brush with cocoa mixture, and top with remaining pumpkin mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours (or up to 3 days). To serve, combine 1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small fine- mesh sieve and dust tiramisu.

THE Baked Brownie

I found this recipe at Smells Like Home. I made a few mistakes when making this, not the least of which was not having as much dark chocolate as the recipe called for. Despite this, these brownies are really good, and I will definitely make them again. I think they are a bit cakier/drier than they would be if I had all the chocolate I was supposed to. I used Ghirardelli cocoa powder and I added some peanut butter and chocolate chips.

source: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Baked Note: A great brownie is easy to make, but you have to be aware of several factors. (1) Use a dark unsweetened cocoa powder like Valrhona. A pale, light-colored cocoa does not have enough depth. (2) Make sure your eggs are room temperature, and do not overbeat them into the batter. (3) Check your brownies often as they bake. An even slightly overbaked brownie is not a Baked Brownie.

1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60-72%), chopped coarsely
8 ounces butter (2 sticks), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal pan 9×13x2 pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.

3. Put the chocolate, the butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add the sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cook completely, then cut them into squares and serve.

Yields 24 brownies.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chipsters

Today's recipe is one of my FAVORITE cookie recipes! Peanut butter and chocolate is a match made in heaven, and this recipe pairs them perfectly. I've adapted it from the food blog Smells Like Home.

2 C. plus 6 Tbsp. all- purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 C. brown sugar, packed

1/2 C. granulated sugar

2/3 C. creamy peanut butter (I use exclusively natural peanut butter, but, having tried this recipe with both kinds, I prefer it with traditional peanut butter, such as Jif).

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 C. chocolate chips (I use milk or a mixture of milk and dark)

1/2 C. shredded sweetened coconut (I don't like coconut, so I either leave it out altogether or substitute oats)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside. With electric mixer, mix butter, sugars, and peanut butter until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low- speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut (if desired).

3. Roll a scant half- cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Place dough on cookie sheet with jagged surface facing up leaving ample room between each ball. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and out edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (approx. 11-14 minutes). Do not overbake.

This dough seems strangely crumbly after you mix it, which is why you form the dough balls the way you do. Don't be alarmed, this is what the dough is supposed to be like. :)

Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is another recipe I've shared with a few of you. I got it from my friend Melanie, who shares my love of baked goods with chocolate chips in them! :)

Muffins:

1-1/2 C flour

1 C oats

1/2 C sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1 C milk

1/4 C oil

1 egg

chocolate chips (enough to look good!)

Mix until moist and line muffin cups with liners. Fill 3/4 full.

Streusel:

1/3 C oats

1/4 C flour

1/4 C packed brown sugar

3 TBS butter, chilled

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbs. Spoon over muffins. Bake at 350 for @15 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Oat Scones

This recipe is from our dear friends Melanie and Mei. It's a favorite at our house for breakfast or anytime. Also really good warmed up if you can't eat them right out of the oven.

2/3 C. margarine or butter, melted (I always use butter, margarine does not exist to me.)

1/3 C. milk

1 egg

1/4 C. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 1/4 C. oats

1 1/2 C. flour

chocolate chips (I use milk or a mixture of milk and dark)

In a medium bowl, mix butter, milk, and egg together with a wooden spoon. Stir in sugar, baking powder, and cream of tartar. The mixture will start to look a little bubbly. Stir in oats and then flour. Add as many chocolate chips as you want. Pat dough into a circle (I usually do it on parchment paper on a baking sheet so I can just bake right on there). Cut it into 8 triangles (no need to cut all the way through the dough, just score it). Bake on cookie sheet or baking stone at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.