Mint Chocolate Pudding Cakes

As promised here's the recipe for mint chocolate pudding cakes. These cakes are really good! If you don't like mint, i'm sure you could just substitute vanilla extract for the peppermint. They only take about 20 minutes start to finish. Not much to say about them other than they're quick, simple and delicious!
Mint Chocolate Pudding Cakes
Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 1/4 t. peppermint extract

1/4 t. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 deg F. Generously butter 6 6oz. ramekins. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs, egg yolks and 1/3 c. sugar until slightly thickened, abot 5 minutes. Add all purpose and beat until blended. Divide chocolate mixture between ramekins. Place ramekins on baking sheet.

Bake cakes until edges are set but centers look shiny and still move slightly when ramekins are gently shaken, 10-11 minutes (start checking at 9). Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 min. Either serve as is or run knife around edges and invert onto plate.

Dark Chocolate Souffles

Before when I would make this sort of thing I would just use a cupcake pan since I didn't have ramekins. But I just got some last week (thanks to an amazing deal) and i'm really excited about them and used them 3 times already. Matt has a name for these things but he wouldn't let me talk about it. So i'm not going to say anything about combining the words Bobby Flay and souffle (which I don't think he really knows what either are). I found this recipe a long time ago (I dont remember where..) and i've made them a couple times. I also have a recipe for some mint chocolate pudding cakes that i'll post up tomorrow. I love little chocolate cakes!!
Dark Chocolate Souffles



Ingredients:
5 oz. dark chocolate (65-72%), chopped
1/2 c. sugar
2 TBSP. milk/cram
2 t. vanilla extract
1 TBSP. all purpose flour
4 large eggs, seperated, at room temperature

Directions:
Preheatoven to 375 deg F. Butter 4 6oz. ramekins and coat with sugar.
Melt the chocolate in a large mixing bowl and whisk in sugar, milk and vanilla. Mixture will be thick and pasty. Beat in the eggs yolks one at a time, followed by the flour.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs whites to soft peaks. Whisk 1/3 of the beaten eggs whites into te chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions, folding until mixture is uniform and no streaks of egg whites remain.
Divide batter evenly into prepared ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until souffles are well risen and set at the edes. Center may appear wet, but should still be set. Serve immediately.
Makes 4

Frozen Hot Chocolate

What's with this weather?? It's been hotter the last couple of days, now that it's fall, than it has almost all summer! Simple to make and delicious to drink, this beverage is a perfect mix of summer and fall and appropriate for any season. I gave Rylee a sip and she kept wanting more! I also added about 1/2 t. of pumpkin pie spice and it was really good in it.

Frozen Hot Chocolate
mels kitchen cafe


Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 ounces of your favorite chocolate (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
2 teaspoons store-bought hot chocolate powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice cubes
slightly sweetened whipped cream (I didn't have whipped cream and instead used marshmallows which were good but obviously don't melt)
chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions:
Chop chocolate into small pieces and melt in microwave on low heat. Once melted, add hot chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Slowly add 1/2 cup milk, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In blender, place the remaining 1 cup milk, room-temperature chocolate mixture and ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Enjoy!

Upcoming CSN Review

I want to talk about CSN Stores in case you haven't checked them out. They have over 200 online stores where you could get anything from a bar stool to cookie cutters. I could literally look through the sites all day of stuff I would love to get. I'll be doing a review of a couple of their products.

First is a Farberware Insulated Nonstick Carbon Steel 15.5" x 20" Jumbo Cookie Sheet.

I've been wanting this for a while now, especially since I only have 1 small baking sheet and sometimes 1 isn't enough..especially when it's small! I also wanted to try a rimless cookie sheet so I can easily slide things off, such as a pizza.

Next is a Farberware Nonstick Carbon Steel 9" Spring Form Pan.

I've never made a cheesecake before.. I do however have a couple recipes i've been wanting to make, but just needed this pan to do it!

I love the selection and prices of CSN Stores so look out for the upcoming review of these products!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

If you've ever tried Martha Stewart's recipes you probably know how frustrating they can be. They can either turn out amazing or a total flop. This is one of those amazing ones. Now i'm sharing this recipe early in the season because you might want to make it several times :) I first made these last year and ever since they've been my very favorite pumpkin anything! They're very moist and I love chocolate and pumpkin together. What's with the squashes being perfect with chocolate? The chocolate chip zucchini bread is delicious also! I'm going to try making these next time in a mini muffin pan since they don't have very clean lines when you cut them, unless maybe you wait until they're completely cool (if you can), even at that they probably wont be that clean unless you freeze them until firm. Please don't judge them by the photo as they don't do these much justice.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars



Makes 24
Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 TBLS. pumpkin-pie spice (if you don't have it, sub. 1 1/2 t. cinnamon, 3/4 t. ginger, 1/2 t. nutmeg and 1/2 t. allspice and cloves; all ground)
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperate
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Line bottom and sides of a 9x13 in. baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda and salt, set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift out of pan using foil and cut with serrated knife into 24 squares.

Bread Bowls

These aren't the typical bread bowls, you know, the huge roll of bread with the middle scooped out. Nothing against them, I love them. These ones though are bread that's molded into the shape of a bowl and baked and they definitely make soup better. Don't worry if they're a little shabby, it makes them look more rustic ;)

Bread Bowls

Tammys Recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 50/50 all purpose and whole wheat flour to make it a little healthier..you can use whatever ratio you prefer)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons dry yeast

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

Instructions:
1. In mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, and salt.
2. Add flours and yeast. Stir and then knead to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes
3. Grease the outsides of eight 6-ounce custard cups (oven-safe). Place cups upside down on ungreased cookie sheets.
4. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Pat or roll each piece into a 5-6 inch circle, on a lightly floured surface (or oil your hands and just form the dough in your hands). Shape dough over the outsides of the greased cups. Allow dough to touch cookie sheet, but not to curl under the edges of the cups.
5. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until slightly puffy.
6. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix egg yolk and water; brush gently over the bread bowls. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until bread is done and bowls are golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately, carefully remove bread from bowls. (I used oven mitts, since bowls and bread are very hot.)
7. Cool bread bowls upright on wire rack. Yield: 8

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I made this soup tonight for dinner, as well as the bread bowls (which i'll post next time). It was reallly good! If you like broccoli and cheese soup you will love this. In fact, Matt even said this is his new favorite soup, his previous being clam chowder. Matt liked it super smooth, but I like some chunks in it. You could probably even chop the broccoli and carrots small (or into whatever size you like) and forget the pureeing. This is supposed to be like the soup from Panera Bread, if you've ever had it. I haven't so I can't tell you if it is. While the soup was cooking and the bread was baking the house smelled amazing. Had I of just made some cookies to go with it that would be my smell heaven for sure.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ambers Delectable Delights

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)

1 large carrot, diced

2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish (I just used sharp yellow cheese since I didnt have any white cheddar)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.) Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Garnish with cheese (I also garnish with fresh cracked pepper and additional broccoli- not pictured).