CHOCOLATE: TREATS and TEMPTATIONS to tantalize your taste buds

FROSTED RASPBERRY FUDGE BROWNIES


Your favorite fudge brownie mix (13in x 9in pan size)
1/4 cup raspberry preserves (or strawberry or cherry)
One tub ready-made fudge, sour cream, vanilla, or cream cheese frosting
2 tbsp raspberry preserves (or strawberry or cherry)

Spray a 13in x 9in baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare brownie mix per package directions, adding in 1/4 cup preserves. Bake as directed on package. Allow brownies to cool. Stir 2 tbsp preserves into frosting in tub and blend well. Spread frosting over cooled brownies and cut into squares. Decorate as desired.

Decadent Italian Chocolate Cake

5 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnish: pecan halves

Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; set aside. Beat butter and shortening until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla. Fold in egg whites. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 325F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove cake layers to wire racks, and cool completely.
Spread Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and
sides of cake. Garnish, if desired. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Combine powdered sugar and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in pecans.

Chocolate Espresso Pudding

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium, heavy saucepan, and stir well
with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk, and bring to a boil over medium
heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until thick. Remove from heat,
and add chocolate, stirring until melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour about
1/2 cup pudding into each of 4 dessert dishes; cover surface of pudding
with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap to serve.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mix well. In separate bowl, combine sugar and eggs, beat until well blended. Add oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in zucchini. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon evenly into loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pans; cool completely on wire rack. 

"Ought To Be A Law" Barrister's Brownies"

1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 Cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 bag white chocolate chips
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

1/2 bag white chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Allow to cool. Add sugar and cocoa and blend well. Add vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder, salt, instant coffee granules, and cinnamon. Stir until just blended. Lightly stir in the 1/2 bag white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Spread the batter evenly in a greased and lightly floured 13x9x2in baking pan. Top batter with remaining white chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Do not over bake. Brownies pull away from the edges of the pan when done. Allow to cool in pan before cutting. Store in tightly covered container.

Chocolate Butterscotch Clusters
  
1 6 oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips
1 6 oz pkg butterscotch chips
2 Tbsp peanut butter
4 cups Rice Krispies

Melt the chocolate and butterscotch along with the peanut butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture melts. Remove from heat. Stir in Rice Krispies. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Cool until firm. Store in a container. 

Decadent Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk plus one pint heavy cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon rum
sweetened whipped cream, sliced strawberries, and chocolate sprinkles for garnish

Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream, scraping the bottom and sides to blend in all the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk to prevent lumps. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, slowly add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Pour into individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. To serve, remove plastic wrap and top each pudding with whipped cream. Top with sliced strawberries and chocolate sprinkles.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 325. Line a 9” X 13” baking pan with foil, leaving some hang over sides, for lifting out bars once baked. Grease foil with Crisco, then flour. Set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add sugars, eggs, & vanilla. Beat until creamy. Blend in flour & salt. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven. Turn oven off. Sprinkle remaining cup of chocolate chips over bars. Return to oven for about 3 minutes or until chips become soft. Spread softened chocolate to cover entire top of bars. Cool on wire rack for about 15 minutes. Remove from pan using foil as handles. Once chocolate “frosting” has hardened, cut into bars

Bourbon Fudge Brownies

1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350F. Bring bourbon to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture and bourbon mixture to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spread batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Serves 20.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

4 eggs

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup water

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 bag (11 oz) mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and add paper liners. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins spring back lightly to touch. Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

Peppermint Fudge

2 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Creme
1 tsp. vanilla extract or flavoring
1 tsp. peppermint extract or flavoring
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. crushed peppermint candy, divided

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly 6 mins. or until candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees F. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips. Stir in Marshmallow Creme, vanilla extract or flavoring, peppermint extract or flavoring and 1/4 c. crushed candy until blended. Pour into a buttered 9-in. square pan. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. crushed candy. Cool and cut into squares.

Candy Bar Brownies

1 box fudge brownie mix (for 13in x 9in baking pan)
1 box of thin mints or thin chocolate bars (like Andes candies), or larger flat candy bars (like Hershey’s) broken into pieces, or miniature chocolate bars (like Hershey’s miniatures)
if desired for topping, ready-made frosting and sprinkles or crushed hard candies

Prepare brownie mix per box directions. Pour half of batter into greased and floured baking pan. Place candy pieces evenly across batter. Top with remaining batter and bake per box directions. Allow to cool before cutting into squares. If desired, top with frosting and sprinkles or crushed hard candies or peppermints. So easy, so good and so pretty!