Smore's Pie

Today is the first day of Autumn, and i'm posting a smore's pie. Hey, I don't just eat smores in the summer, it's a year round thing for me. My mom came to visit a couple weeks ago and i've been wanting to try this pie for a while, so I decided then would be a good time. My mom says she doesn't like smore's (crazy woman) but she liked this pie. This is so super simple to make and tastes amazing. I would find myself cutting off a thin slice, then going back again for another thin slice, repeat process. It's much richer cold and while it's still good from the refrigerator, I prefer it much better heated up in the microwave for a few seconds. And don't forget to drizzle some hot fudge over it. Totally optional, but more chocolate is always better :)

Smore's Pie

the pastry affair

Yields 6-8 servings
Graham Cracker Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until evenly coated. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant.
Keep oven running.

Chocolate Filling:

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup milk

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Pinch of salt

2 eggs, whisked

1 bag of large marshmallows

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream and milk. Warm over medium-low heat. Add in chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Slowly add whisked eggs and mix until smooth.
Pour chocolate filling into baked pie crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate filling is set and does not move when pie is lightly shaken. Remove from oven.
Using a kitchen shears, cut marshmallows in half. Place halves in concentric circles over the top of the pie until covered.
Set oven to broil. Place pie under the broiler and lightly toast the marshmallows. This can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes, so watch those marshmallows closely!
Chill pie in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours.

To serve, spray a knife with non-stick cooking spray and cut the cold pie into slices. Heat if prefered and drizzle with chocolate sauce, if desired.

Smore's Ice Cream Bars

I feel like it's been a while since I posted something. Not because I haven't made anything, although I have been cutting back, but because I've had my hands full. It's hard enough to find time to do everything I need/want to do with a newborn and toddler as it is, posting a recipe gets the back burner. So to make up for my lack of posts, here's a 2 in 1.
I love all things smores, so it was a given that I had to try making these. Especially since I like having a homemade treat in the freezer I can pull out and eat as I wish. Which i'm learning can be a very bad thing.. These ice cream sandwiches reminded me of an It's-It (the kind with oatmeal cookie and vanilla ice cream) if you've ever tried those.
The homemade graham crackers were real good, although mine turned out more like cookies. But that's ok..I like cookies :) Definitely something i'll make again. Except for I needed to bake them a little longer because they were a little doughey tasting. Once they were frozen though it was alright.
The roasted marshmallow ice cream was good too, but not really something I would eat by itself. But make it into a sundae or something and i'm sure i'd be all over it. I should also note that instead of making the meringue for the ice cream, I just used store bought marshmallows and roasted them on a baking sheet then blended it up with the custard.

Smore's Ice Cream Sandwiches
Pennies on a Platter



Graham Crackers:
Yield: 48 2-inch squares
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 tablespoons milk, full-fat preferred
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal.
Whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour into the flour mixture and pulse again a few times until the dough barely comes together. It will be soft and somewhat sticky. Lightly dust a large piece of plastic wrap with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping by mixing together the 3 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl or shaker; set aside.
Once the dough is firm, remove from plastic wrap and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Flour the rolling pin as necessary. Cut into 2-inch squares and place on lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar topping then chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Using a fork, prick the dough to form three dotted rows. Bake the crackers/cookies for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Bake for a shorter time if desiring more of a cookie texture. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar after baking, if desired.

Roasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
Ingredients:
4 eggs, divided
About 1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
2 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the marshmallow meringue:
Combine 2/3 cup of the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves, with the heat on low, until it reaches between 236˚-244˚F. Try not to let it boil. In the meantime, you can start following the instructions below to make the custard.
Once the syrup reaches 230˚F, start whipping the egg whites until reaches soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until reaches stiff peaks. With the mixer still on, pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream. Beat until somewhat cooled, then spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil for a few minutes, until nicely browned.

For the custard:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow; set aside. While keeping an eye on the sugar syrup, warm the milk, cream and salt in a medium heavy saucepan until almost boiling. Temper the eggs by slowly whisking 1/2 cup of the warmed cream into the egg yolks, while stirring constantly to avoid curdling. Slowly whisk in the rest of the cream into the egg yolks, then pour back into the saucepan and continue to heat on medium-low until the custard thickens (about 3-6 minutes). Place a lid on the saucepan to keep the custard warm until the marshmallow meringue is ready.
Once the marshmallow meringue is ready, transfer the custard into a large bowl and whisk in the roasted marshmallow meringue. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before freezing, whisk the mixture again and stir in the vanilla. Freeze according to your ice cream freezer manufacturer’s instructions.

Assemble the Sandwiches:
you'll need:
homemade graham crackers
roasted marshmallow ice cream
ganache

When making the ice cream, after churning in your freezer bowl, spread the ice cream in a 9×13 parchment-lined pan. Freeze overnight.
The next day, match your graham crackers into pairs by size. Make the ganache and spread a thin layer on one cookie from each pair. Set on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes to partially harden the chocolate. (This will create a sturdier base for holding the ice cream.)
Remove the ice cream from the pan by lifting the parchment paper and set on a cutting board. Using a knife, cut the ice cream into squares or rectangles equal to the size of your graham crackers, one portion for each pair of grahams. Place the ice cream square on the ganache and sandwich the other graham cracker on top, gently pressing together. Return back to the baking sheet and freeze until hard. Wrap individually in foil and keep stored in the freezer.
Makes about 8-10 sandwiches

Brownie Ice Cream Cake

My husband offered to make my birthday cake for me this year, it was a nice offer but it's something I prefer to do myself. This is a super simple recipe and one of the things I like most about it is you store it in the freezer and you can cut off a slice to eat whenever you want some. Normally I don't make cakes for the reason that there's only 2 of us and I don't want half of it to go to waste. Not a problem with this cake though. Matt didn't care too much for the marshmallows on top but that was my favorite part!! The brownie gets a little hard from being frozen, but that's expected and it still tasted great. I had a hard time picking what ice cream to use but decided to keep it simple and go with chocolate chip. I'm already thinking of different ice cream combinations to use because there will be a next time! Oh, and don't forget the hot fudge!

Brownie Ice Cream Cake
recipe girl

*updated 7/7/12: I made this cake for my birthday again this year, this time using chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream. Definitely was better with something simple like chocolate chip! I really need to get some butane for my kitchen torch..the broiler always works faster than expected!

Ingredients:
BROWNIE LAYER:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso powder (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt

ICE CREAM LAYER:

1 1/2 qts. ice cream, any flavor (I used chocolate chip)

MARSHMALLOW LAYER:

1 cup marshmallow cream
1 Tbsp. water
4 – 5 cups mini marshmallows

TOPPING:

hot fudge

Directions:

1. Prepare brownie layer- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolates and butter together in small bursts, just until melted. Stir until smooth. Sift together flour & baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in chocolate mixture. Add the dry ingredients, espresso powder and salt. Stir until combined. Spread brownie batter in the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before continuing with the recipe.
2. Take ice cream out of the freezer and soften for a bit, just until it’s easy enough to mash around and spread. Spread the ice cream over the brownie layer.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together marshmallow cream and water. Stir in 3 cups of marshmallows. Spread the marshmallow mixture over the ice cream. Sprinkle 2 remaining cups of marshmallows on top. Freeze until the ice cream is hard, at least 6 hours- but best overnight.
4. Toasting the marshmallows- If you have a handheld blowtorch, run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan. Release the latch and remove the ring. Use a very sharp, wide, thin knife to run under the brownie layer to release it from the pan and transfer it to a serving platter. Torch the marshmallows until they’re golden brown. If using the broiler, adjust the rack so the ice cream cake will be 2 – 3 inches from the heating element. Preheat the broiler. Leave the cake in the pan, put it on a baking pan, and place it under the heating element. Broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and remove the pan.
5. Serve immediately with a good amount of hot fudge. Freeze leftovers and eat as you wish, for up to one week.
Serves: 10

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

With a title like this, you know it's going to be good. I wanted to be sure to try this recipe soon because who knows when i'll be able to have time to make something like this after the baby comes. Well, i'm sure i'll have time but whether or not I want to put the energy into it is something else. I've tried another mousse cake recipe (double chocolate mousse torte) not too long ago and wanted to see how this one compared since I really liked the other one. Oh..my..deliciousness. I have to say they were close equals in my book and depending on the mood im in or what ingredients I have on hand would determine which one to make. Really they were pretty much the same thing, except the other was topped with whipped cream and this one was topped with white chocolate mousse. We shared some of the cake, but mostly we ate it. And i'm not ashamed because it was worth it, and that's all that matters.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
Cook's Illustrated via. Annie's Eats

For the bottom layer:

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (plus extra for greasing the pan)

7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

¾ tsp. instant espresso powder

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

4 large eggs, separated

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

For the middle layer:

2 tbsp. cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

5 tbsp. hot water

7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1½ cups heavy cream

1 tbsp. granulated sugarPinch of salt

For the top layer:

¾ tsp. powdered gelatin

1 tbsp. water

6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

1½ cups heavy cream

For garnish:

Chocolate curls or cocoa powder

Directions:

To make the bottom layer, butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. (I lined the bottom of the pan with a parchment round for easy removal later.) Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325˚ F. Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Crumble half of the brown sugar into the mixing bowl with your fingers to remove any lumps. Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges and the center has just set but is still soft (should spring back after pressing gently with a finger), about 14-18 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour. Do not remove the cake from the pan. (If not making the second layer right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed.)

To make the second layer, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Once melted, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 2-5 minutes.
In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the cocoa powder mixture until smooth. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour the mousse into the springform pan over the cooled cake and tap gently on the counter 3 times to remove air bubbles. Gently smooth the top with a spatula. Wipe the inside edge of the pan to remove any drips. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the top layer.

To make the top layer, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes to soften. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring ½ cup of the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and let stand about 1 minute. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup of cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Here's another continuation of my strawberry obsession (especially when chocolate is involved). We had our 3rd anniversary a few days ago and what a great reason to make these. The chocolate cake is a doctored up box mix which makes things a lot easier and the result is the moistest cupcake i've probably ever had. The frosting is a fresh strawberry buttercream and it's pretty amazing.
Normally when I make chocolate covered strawberries I just lay them on parchment paper after I dip them, but this time I didn't want a flat side. I didn't have any styrofoam so I had to get creative. I ended up using an apple placed in a plastic cup to poke the berries into to hold up. There wasn't a lot of room on the apples to hold a lot of berries, but they dried fast enough that I didn't need a whole lot of room. It was a little difficult making sure the apple didn't tip over..but it ended up working fine and I didn't get the flat side! Now i'm just wishing I didn't toss my 40% off at Michaels because I need to go get some styrofoam for an upcoming project.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
My Baking Addition

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup warm water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and water. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.

3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.

5. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.

For the buttercream frosting:
Ingredients:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

pinch of fine grain sea salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

6 ounces strawberries, pureed

4-6 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

1. Cream butter on medium speed until fluffy. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended.

2. Add salt, vanilla, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and strawberry puree. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy

3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with a chocolate covered strawberry.

Easter Egg Marshmallow Truffles

It's been a while since i've posted. I was in WA for a week and just haven't got around to making anything new to share. Now i'm gonna be honest..i'm not big into truffles or soft center chocolates. I love chocolates but I prefer ones with nuts or chewy ones like caramel.
Marshmallow is a different story though, I love chocolate covered marshmallows so when I saw these I knew I wanted to make them right away. So I did..that day. However I was expecting these to be more like a chocolate covered marshmallow but it was more like a truffle (which it is, duh). I wasn't a big fan, but it may be because I was expecting something else. Next time I would try doing more marshmallow creme to powdered sugar ratio than what the recipe says to suit my taste. Now..on the other hand, I took these to a church lunch and apparently everyone loved these. I had so many people come find me to tell me they loved them and ask how I made them. I made these a little on the large size and had about 20 of them, next time I would definitely make them a little smaller as a little goes a long way, as with any truffles I think.
One more thing, I forgot my husband had my camera with him at school and I forgot to leave 1 of these out to get a picture of later. So if you want a photo you'll have to visit the recipe link.

Easter Egg Marshmallow Truffles
Taste and Tell

makes about 30 truffles
Ingredients:
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
3 cups powdered sugar

For the coating:
8 ounces chocolate
1 tablespoon shortening
assorted sprinkles, if desired

Directions:
In the bowl of a mixer, combine the marshmallow creme, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Refrigerate for an hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Use a small scoop to make small balls out of the marshmallow mixture. Form each ball into an egg shape. The mixture was really pretty sticky so I would put it back in the freezer every couple minutes to make it easier to work with. Freeze for about 15 minutes. You can also reshape them a little better at this point.
Melt the chocolate with the shortening. Dip the marshmallow eggs into the chocolate and place back onto the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with topping, if desired. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.

Tartine Bakery Deluxe Double Chocolate Cookies

Usually when I make cookies it's not planned. A sudden craving hits and I need to make them now. When I was looking through my list of 'to make' recipes a lot of them required hours of refrigeration, which wasn't going to work. So I picked this one since it was a new recipe I had all of the ingredients for and wouldn't take long. These cookies are very, very soft. There's no crispy/crunchiness to them at all. They're very decadent..-pure chocolate. Be sure you have plenty of milk in the fridge before you make these..you'll need it. They were good and i'm glad I tried them, but I think i'll stick to my 'go to' double chocolate cookie recipe.

Tartine Bakery Deluxe Double Chocolate Cookies

Barbara Bakes

Ingredients:

8 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate (I used Guittard 72% cacao)

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons SCHARFFEN BERGER Natural Cocoa Powder (It was Ghiradelli for me)

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water. Be sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.

When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set aside. Beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Slowly add the sugar and mix until the mixture is completely smooth and soft. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the salt and vanilla, and then add the melted chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add the milk and beat until combined. Finally, add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until they are just barely firm on top when lightly touched but are still very soft underneath, about 7 minutes (mine took longer). They will get firmer as they cool. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

Yield: about 2 dozen

Monster Marshmallow Cookies

Not a lot of baking has been going on lately. We just got back from a trip we took down to Pismo Beach and Solvang, CA. It was a lot of fun! While everyone was up here getting rained on we were building sandcastles on the beach. And in just a few days we're about to go on another trip for a few days to San Diego. Not looking forward to the 8 hr drive, but it'll be worth it. So anyway, the other thing that quickly caught my eye in this months food network magazine were these cookies. They did a contest where readers had to submit recipes using the secret ingredient, which was marshmallows, and this is the entry that won. I made these last week right before we took off and I was really confused. Either not many good recipes were entered, I did something wrong (but it's cookies..they're simple. and I've made cookies enough to know how to do it..so I don't think that was the problem) or maybe they didn't make the recipes before picking a winner. Although they weren't terrible, I really don't see how they won.. they sounded great but the outcome wasn't that amazing, which stinks because I love marshmallows and think it was a pretty easy secret ingredient to work with. They were very crunchy (and I even left out the nuts) and I prefer a softer cookie. I also found them to be rather tasteless. I ate a few and the rest ended up getting tossed. Give it a try if you'd like but this isn't one i'll be keeping.

Monster Marshmallow Cookies
food network magazine April 2011



I didn't post the recipe, but instead posted the link to it on food network's website since it's already typed up and everything.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Frosting

It's not often that I get to make cupcakes, but I get excited about it every time I do because they're so much fun to make. Matt's sister was having a birthday and people were asked to bring an appetizer type thing or dessert. I knew I wanted to make some cupcakes since it's been so long but I had no idea what kind! I get of overwhelmed when there's so many options and flavor combinations to choose from. Finally I stumbled upon these ones and decided to end my search here. They were very chocolatey so if that's what you're looking for, these are great. If not, these are still good recipes but I would pair them with something other than chocolate on chocolate. The taste and texture of the swiss meringue frosting was just like chocolate mousse. I added a mini peanut butter cup inside each of the cupcakes but they got slightly hard since I had the cupcakes stored in the fridge. The chocolate pour (chocolate ganache, really) could easily be left out, but it does make them appear a little more fancy, especially when paired with sprinkles! I thought I should also add that my husband is out of town and took the camera with him so the only way I was able to get a photo was from the built in webcam on my computer. It was either this, or no picture, but atleast you got the idea.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
As seen on Bakers Royale

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water. Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
Whisk eggs in second bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
Fill cupcake line ¼ full. Add a Reeses peanut butter cup to each well (optional) and finish pouring cupcake batter on top of it until the wells are two-thirds full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes

Swiss Meringue Frosting (I only made 1/2 of this recipe and had just enough)
Ingredients:
5 large egg whites
11/2 cup sugar
4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:
Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add cooled chocolate and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce:
2/3 cups dark chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
4-5 tablespoons water, warm (I only needed 1 T.)

Directions:

Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Assembly:
Frost cooled cupcakes. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pour over chocolate frosting. Shake sprinkles on chocolate sauce.

*Linked to Sweets For A Saturday

Chocolate Strawberry Tart and CSN Product Review

I'm excited to tell you about the products I ordered from CSN stores. I don't have a lot of kitchen gadgets so it's fun when I get something new even if I don't neccessarily "need" it. The first thing I ordered is this Magic Dough Non-slip Pastry Mat. So far i've used it to make biscuits and it made kneading and rolling so easy! Clean up was also super easy. Much better than trying to scrub dough off my counter or cutting board that I would have used. If you make breads or pastries often, this is a "must have." I mean, obviously you can still accomplish your goal whether you have the item or not, but having this makes the experience quicker and easier. I also like the handy measurment conversions on the sides as well as the ruler along the top and bottom for easy measuring.

The next thing on my list was a tart pan! So I got this one by Frieling. I'm in love with fruit tarts. For reals. Everytime we go to the grocery store I walk by them and usually end up getting a small (single serving size) one. They're one of the few non-chocolate desserts that I crave for (and often!) So naturally I wanted a tart pan to make my own at home. The pan is very lightweight and easy to clean. I've only used it once so far but I know i'll get good use out of it.


The first thing I made in my tart pan is this chocolate strawberry tart. I made some chocolate chocolate chip waffles for breakfast Valentine's Day. They were so good and Rylee of course devoured them, it was almost like chocolate cake..for breakfast! We decided to eat out for dinner. But we were smart and went early before it was crowded. Then I made this for dessert. As you probably know I abosolutely love chocolate and strawberries. In fact, our wedding cake was a big chocolate cake with chocolate covered strawberries on it. We both thought this dessert was good. The crust tasted like that of the chocolate banana cream pie I posted recently. I gotta say, as much as I like chocolate, I prefer regular crust to the chocolate. But sometimes a chocolate crust is more fitting. When I first put the dough into the pan it looked like there was no way it would be enough. It was though. It managed to stretch to fit the pan, but it seemed a little thin. When I removed the foil from the top after baking there was a small spot that was thin and the crust peeled up. Oops. Good thing there's toppings to go over it :) I didn't make the ganache topping because I didn't realize I was out of cream. Instead I just melted some semi sweet chocolate and graciously drizzled on top.

Chocolate Strawberry Tart
From Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours, via: Taste and Tell


Chocolate Shortbread Tart Dough
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 stick plus 1 T. (9 T) very cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk

Directions:
Put the flour, cocoa powder powdered sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in. Stir the yolk, just to break it up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in, process in long pulses until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and very lightly knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing. Press the dough into the pan. Freeze the crust for at least 30 min. before baking. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 min. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon.

Vanilla Pastry Cream
Ingredients:
2 c. whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch, sifted
1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 T. unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temperature

Directions:
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the sugar and cornstarch until thick and well blended. Still whisking, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk to temper. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder or the milk. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly, bring the mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth and silky. Scrape the cream into a bowl. You can press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the cream to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the pastry cream until cold, or if you want to cool it quickly, put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water, and stir the pastry cream occasionally until it is thoroughly chilled, about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Ingredients:
4 oz chocolate, chopped finely
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. sugar
2 T. water

Directions:
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream, sugar and water to a full boil, then pour the liquid over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds. Working with a whisk or rubber spatula, gently stir the chocolate and cream together.

Assembly:
Pour cooled pastry cream into cooled tart shell then top with strawberries. Drizzle glaze over top.

*Linked to Sweets For A Saturday

Double Chocolate Mousse Torte

When I saw this double chocolate mousse torte on mel's kitchen cafe, I knew it was right up my alley, I just needed something (or someone) to make it for. So when I found out there was a Valentine's Day potluck dinner at church I knew this would be perfect for the occasion. It's a chocolate torte with a layer of chocolate mousse on top of it then topped with whipped cream and berries. Chocolate and strawberries are one of my favorite combinations ever, so I went with strawberries. This cake is so very rich and chocolaty and decadent and perfect for Valentine's Day!
*She also provided an alternate mousse since the original one uses raw egg whites. I used the alternate and it was delicious.
Double Chocolate Mousse Torte
mel's kitchen cafe

Ingredients:
Cake:
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Mousse:
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated at room temperature
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped finely (it is important the chocolate for this mousse layer is chopped finely or it won’t melt completely when added to the warm egg yolks)
1/2 cup sugar

Topping:
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups fresh strawberries or raspberries

Directions:

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9 or 10in. springform pan and dust with sugar. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt, then flour. Pour batter into the springform pan. Bake until cake just rises in center (tester inserted into center will not come out clean), 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack, the center of the cake may fall slightly. Cover and chill while making mousse.

For mousse:
Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk yolks, 1/4 cup cream and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into bowl with melted butter. Whisk constantly over simmering water until thermometer registers 150°F, about 6 minutes. Remove from over water; add chocolate and stir to melt. Set aside. Beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of cornstarch in large bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg white mixture into warm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg white mixture. Pour mousse over the cooled cake in pan; smooth top. Chill torte until mousse is set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream over torte. Top whipped cream with berries.

Alternate Chocolate Mousse
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 tablespoons hot water
7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate , chopped fine
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt

Combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate in the microwave on 50% power, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.

In a clean bowl with an electric mixer, whip cream, granulated sugar, and salt at medium speed until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted, 15 to 60 seconds.

Whisk cocoa powder mixture into melted chocolate until smooth. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into springform pan over cooled cake and proceed with the rest of the recipe above.

*Linked to Sweets For A Saturday

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Another PB recipe. I really do need to make more recipes with PB since I have 6 jars sitting on my shelf and Rylee's usually the only one that eats it. They look like brownies, but they're not. They're like a big, soft peanut butter cookie (bar) that tastes like a reese's peanut butter cup. It probably helps too that I used reese's pb chips. Careful, these guys are very tender until they've cooled completely. I line my pans with foil and I pulled these out of the pan before they had cooled completely and they started to cave in on me. They also fall apart easily until they've cooled. I ended up scooping some out on a plate as soon as they came out of the oven and eating it with a spoon because I can't wait for things to cool.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
two peas and their pod

Makes 12-16 bars
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.
Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
Fold in peanut butter chips. Spread dough in a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Other sizes will work as well – they will just determine the thickness and cooking length of the bars.
Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. If bars are not done, bake for 5-6 minute increments. Let cool completely before slicing.

*Linked to Sweets For A Saturday

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut butter cookies have never been something that i've loved. They're soft and taste like pb and that's about it. Not that those are bad things, they just seem lacking. This recipe though, sounded interesting. And i'm so glad I didn't pass it by! This cookie had a lot going on. It had a strong pb flavor with a soft texture and slight crispyness. The oatmeal also had a nice prescence, but not overpowering. Then the chocolate chips really pulled it together (gotta have chocolate!) This one is for sure making it's way into my recipe collection because I know i'll be making it often! I just made them last night and i'm wishing there were more left. I made a half batch and ended up with 7 large cookies. I've tried many cookies and recipes and this is now one of my favorites!
*It was nighttime when these were made, so I tried my best to get a decent picture for ya

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

brown eyed baker

Makes about 16 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.
Drop dough by large mounds (about 3 TBLS.) onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. (The cookies will still look undone when you take them out. The edges should look set and the middle puffy). Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

*Linked to Sweets For A Saturday

Fauxtess Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a home made version of the Hostess cupcakes. And I gotta say they are pretty spot on, but even better! It's more work than regular cupcakes, but it's not that bad, and definitely worth it! The cupcakes are chocolatey and moist, the marshmallow filling inside creamy and delicious and the ganache was perfect. The icing design could easily be left off, but it makes them that much cuter :)

Fauxtess Cupcakes
Loves To Eat





Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes
11/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow cream

For the Ganache and Icing (I would half the icing recipe, I had enough left over I think it would be ok)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
21/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Place paper liners in two 12-cup muffin pans.

Prepare the cupcakes: Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla. Using a mixer, beat in the eggs, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside.

Prepare the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). Dip the cupcake tops in the ganache or spoon and frost tops. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip; pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

*Linked to Sweets for A Saturday

Nutella Butterscotch Cookies

I'm not a huge Nutella person, I mean I like it and everything but i'm not about to put it on my toast or eat it out of the jar. This was my 2nd time baking with it though and I thought it turned out pretty well. And I really liked it paired with the butterscotch. The dough for these cookies is really light and fluffy, like chocolate mousse.The cookies come out crispy on the outside and soft in the center.
*Linked to Sweets for A Saturday and Sweet Tooth Friday

Nutella Butterscotch Cookies

slightly adapted from Culinary Concoctions By Peabody


Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup Nutella or other hazelnut chocolate spread
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Cream butter and sugars in a mixer on high speed, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, then add the Nutella and mix well.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix just until the dough is smooth. Fold in butterscotch chips.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 6-7 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely

Bittersweet Cocoa Souffles with Orange Blossom Cream

Yesterday was National Chocolate Cake Day. Did you know that? I celebrated today though, with these souffles. Ohh myy.. I love souffles. I love chocolate. Can you tell? I'm sorry, I hope you're not tired of all the chocolate. This was another one of the recipes featured in this month's bon appetit that I couldn't wait long to make. I really wish I had orange-flower water for the cream, but sadly I didn't. And I wasn't about to buy it, needing only a small amount. The orange flavored cream paired nicely with the souffles though and made them taste like that chocolate orange candy, you know the kind you whack on the counter and it seperates the wedges? But if you're not into those then I would suggest leaving the orange peel out of the cream.

Bittersweet Cocoa Souffles with Orange Blossom Cream
bon appetit magazine

I put the cream on right after I took these out of the oven..I couldn't wait. Hence the melted "mess."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 3 TBLS. sugar

2 TBLS. all purpose flour

2/3 cup plus 2 TBLS. whole milk

1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large egg yolks

1 t. vanilla extract

4 large egg whites

1/8 t. cream of tartar

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cocao), finely chopped

Orange Blossom Cream (see recipe below)

Directions:

Butter 8 2/3-3/4 cup ramekins or custard cups; dust with sugar, completely coating up to top edge. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and 1/8 t. (scant) salt in small saucepan. Pour 2/3 cup milk into measuring cup; whisk enough milk from cup into saucepan to form thick paste (2-3 TBLS.), then gradually whisk in remaining milk from cup. Stir over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form around edges of pan. Continue cooking until slightly thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add cocoa powder, remaining 2 TBLS. milk, egg yolks, and vanilla; stir until smooth, thick paste forms.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 3 TBLS. sugar, beating on high speed until firm peaks form. Add 1/4 of whites to chocolate mixture, fold to blend. Add remaining egg whites and chopped chocolate and fold until whites and just blended into batter.

Divide batter among prepared ramekins; place on baking sheet. Bake at 375 deg F until souffles are puffed above rim of ramekin and toothpick inserted into center comes out with thick batter attached, about 12 minutes (15 if chilled). Using spoon, form small indentation in top of each souffle; spoon dollop of orange blossom cream into indentations. Serve immediately.

*Batter can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Orange Blossom Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 TBLS. sugar

1 t. finely grated orange peel

3/4 t. orange-flower water

Directions:

Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until peaks form.

*Can be made 6 hrs. ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewhisk before serving.

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Matt's favorite kind of pie is banana cream. I'm not a big banana person..but I got so excited when I saw this, especially since I needed something to take to a potluck. Banana cream meets chocolate cream..best of both worlds! This pie is exactely how I thought it would turn out. It was so good! Like a chocolate covered banana. First there's a layer of the cream, then bananas, then chocolate cream and topped with whipped cream. I wish you could see the layers better. They say the first slice is the worst though, but since I was taking this somewhere..I couldn't really cut out any more slices. Who takes a pie somewhere with some if it missing? I do. With all my hard work you bet im gonna make sure and try it!
The pie itself was easy, but the crust took some time. I've never made a pie crust before (aside from a graham cracker one.- and hence the shabbiness of it). It was a little time consuming, but I made it the night before so it didn't seem like such a labor of love doing everything at once. I actually enjoyed the process of making the crust, I thought it was kinda fun. However I might get lazy next time and just try a frozen one.

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Love and Olive Oil

Makes 1 9 inch pie

Ingredients:

For Pie Crust:

1 cup plain all purpose flour

4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

For Filling:

3/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 medium bananas, sliced
1 cup heavy cream3 tablespoons sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate curls/shavings for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Prepare pie crust according to the technique outlined here adding in cocoa powder and sugar. Roll out and gently press into a 9" pie pan. Place pan and crust in the freezer for at least 10 minutes prior to baking (or while your oven is preheating).

Line crust with foil or parchment paper and fill full with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove weights and lining. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining cup of milk. Temper the egg mixture with a small amount of the slightly cooled milk mixture then blend this into the larger saucepan with the cooling milk mixture.

Return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly, lower heat and simmer until mixture is the consistency of thick pudding, about 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and quickly stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer half of the filling mixture to a small bowl and set aside. Add chocolate chips to remaining filling and stir until melted and smooth.

Allow fillings to cool for 5 minutes, then pour plain filling into cooled pie shell. Arrange a single layer of banana slices on top of the filling. Pour chocolate filling on top. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks. Gently spread whipped cream on top of cooled filling, smoothing top into a slight dome. Garnish with chocolate shavings or curls if desired.

*Linked up to Sweets For A Saturday

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

This is another recipe from this month's bon appetit that I couldn't wait to try. In fact, the picture for these was the cover. And you can bet I was excited when it slipped through the mail slot and I saw these. So of course, I made them nutless as previously explained. However they were fantastic either way. All the things a good brownie should be- fudgey inside, chewy and they had a (slight) crackly top. Although I thought these were great, I wouldn't call them my favorite. But then again, that would be a very hard thing for me to do with any brownie recipe. Just a reminder: don't make these if you're out of milk. You'll be kicking yourself if you do. Oh hey, know what I just noticed? These are almost identical to Best Cocoa Brownies that I posted a while back ago, haha. Guess I shoud have checked that earlier. I was thinking they felt familiar and didn't decide to check until after these ones were done. Either way i'm sure I would have made them!

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

bon appetit magazine

Ingredients:

10 TBLS. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla extract

2 large eggs, chilled

1/3 c. plus 1 TBLS. unbleached all purpose flour

1 c. walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 deg F. Line 8x8 inch pan with foil leaving 2 inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt buter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 t. water, vanilla, and 1/4 t (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot).

Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan and cut.

*Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temp.

*Linked up to Sweets For A Saturday

Crisp Cocoa-Pecan Cookies

I received my bon appetit magazine in the mail yesterday and there were a few recipes that caught my eye right away and knew I had to make soon! I decided to start first with this one because I had all the ingredients on hand and well, they're cookies, I can't help but get excited. I only made 1/2 batch like I usually do with first time recipes and now i'm wishing I hadn't! I left out the nuts since my husband doesn't like nuts in his baked goods (unfortunately. Especially since they would have been so good in these), but they still had a slight nutty, or butterscotch flavor to them. They really did spread out more than I thought they would and you'll end up with a thin, crispy cookie. They felt slightly fancy to me, don't ask why. I really did love these and i'm already thinking of when I can make them again.

Crisp Cocoa-Pecan Cookies

bon appetit magazine

Yield: about 16 oversize cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 TBLS. natural unsweetened cocoa powder (scooped into measuring spoon, then leveled)

1/2 t. baking soda

10 TBLS. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled

1/3 c. (packed) golden brown sugar

1/3 c. sugar

2 TBLS. plus 2 t. light corn syrup

2 TBLS. whole milk

1 t. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and 1/2 t. (generous) salt in medium bowl. Stir butter and next 5 ingredients in another medium bowl until smooth. Stir in flour mixture, then nuts. Cover and chill until firm enough to scoop, atleast 4 hours. (Mine felt firm sooner so I only chilled for about 2 hours). *Can be made 1 day ahead; Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 325 deg F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure 2 level tablespoonfuls dough; roll between palms into ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Using fingers, spread out dough to 3 inch diameter disk. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 5 inches apart.

Bake cookies 8 minutes; reverse sheets. Bake cookies until flat and beginning to darken around edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to cooling rack. *Can be made 4 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Melt chocolate chips. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let stand until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Linked up to