Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and Ice Cream

Source - http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/05/double-chocolate-chip-cookie-cups-and-ice-cream.html

Makes about 18 cups

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus 2 tablespoons, if dough is sticky)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or use butterscotch, peanut butter, or exclusively use all semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Häagen-Dazs® Ice Cream – I used the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor

hot fudge or chocolate ice cream sauce, optional

whipped topping or whipped cream, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a standard 12-count muffin pan with paper liners. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, sugars, and cream for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed, stopping at least once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, vanilla, and beat for 2 to 3 more minutes on medium-high speed, stopping at least once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, baking soda, and mix until just combined, no more than one minute. Add the chips and beat for 5 to 10 seconds or fold in by hand.

Place 2 rounded tablespoons of dough into each paper muffin liner and press down firmly to pack down the dough. The liners should be filled about three-quarters of the way full. Add more (or less) dough to each cup as needed, pressing down after each addition. (The dough does rise while baking, but not tremendously so, as with a muffin or cupcake.) Bake for 11 to 15 minutes or until the tops have risen and have barely begun to brown, taking care not to overbake. It’s okay if these seem a bit underdone as they will continue to set up as they cool and you want them gooey. Allow the cookie cups to cool in the muffin pan for at least 15 minutes before removing them.

Top each with cookie cup generous scoop of ice cream. Optionally, garnish with whipped topping or whipped cream; chocolate, caramel, or butterscotch sauce, maraschino cherries, sprinkles, coconut flakes, nuts, diced candy pieces, or other favorite ice cream sundae toppings.

Store extra cookie cups in an airtight container for up to one week on the counter or refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer.

Note: If desired, use refrigerated pre-made cookie dough rather than making your own cookie dough. I suggest doctoring up the dough by adding semi-sweet and/or white chocolate chips as premade dough tends to be a little skimpy on the chips. I estimate that you could make between 8 and 10 cups per standard flat package of dough. I’d buy two packages for a 12 to 15 cup yield (guesstimate).

White Chocolate-Strawberry Pie

Source  - http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/21453

Slightly adapted from Ken Haedrich’s “Pie”

Makes one 9-inch pie (8 servings)

• 1 GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMB CRUST (RECIPE BELOW) OR 1 SMALL STORE-BOUGHT GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Filling:

• 3/4 CUP WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS
• ONE 8-OUNCE PACKAGE CREAM CHEESE (REGULAR OR LIGHT), SOFTENED
• 5 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
• 1/3 CUP PLAIN OR VANILLA YOGURT (REGULAR OR LIGHT)

• 1 QUART (1 1/2 POUNDS) FRESH STRAWBERRIES, RINSED AND PATTED DRY

Garnish:

• 1/2 CUP WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS

1. Prepare the crust according to the recipe below (or prebake your store-bought crust according to package directions). Let it cool, and  refrigerate until ready to use.
2. For the Filling: Put the white chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler set over, not in, hot water. When the chips are shiny, 7 to 10 minutes, stir well until smooth. Remove the insert from the double boiler, and set aside to cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
4. Gradually add the sugar, and continue to beat.
5. When the white chocolate has cooled to body temperature, add it to the cream cheese. Blend until evenly mixed.
6. Add the yogurt, and blend until smooth.
7. To Assemble the Pie: Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the chilled pie shell, and smooth it with a spoon. Cover with loosely tented aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
8. Sort through your strawberries, and pick out as many same-size berries as you can find. Hull them, and take a very thin slice off the stem end (so you’ll eventually be able to stand them upright on the pie filling).
9. Arrange the berries in a single layer on top of the filling, cut sides facing down. Refrigerate.
10. For the Garnish: Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave. Let cool, then spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a fine tip. Pipe a thin drizzle of white chocolate over the pie in any pattern you choose. Serve immediately, or cover with loosely tented aluminum foil and refrigerate until serving, preferably less than 1 hour.

Note: If you don’t have a pastry bag, spoon the melted white chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag, and push the chocolate to one corner. With sharp scissors, snip a very small hole in the corner, and use it as a pastry bag.

Graham Cracker Crumb Crust

Makes one 9-inch pie

• BUTTER, FOR GREASING PIE PAN
• 1 3/4 CUPS GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS (MADE BY GRINDING 12 WHOLE CRACKERS)
• 2 TABLESPOONS FIRMLY PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
• 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON
• BIG PINCH OF SALT
• 6 TABLESPOONS (3/4 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch standard pie pan, and set aside.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Mix briefly with your fingers. Add the butter, and incorporate well, mixing first with a fork, then with your hands, rubbing thoroughly to form evenly dampened crumbs.
3. Spread the crumbs evenly and loosely in the pan, pressing them into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Place on the center oven rack, and bake for 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate the cooled pie shell before filling.

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

SOURCE - http://www.dessarts.com/2012/05/photography-exercise-with-espresso-chocolate-chip-muffins.html

yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs instant espresso powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 375 F and line your muffin tin or generously butter. Mix the flour, sugar,  baking powder, salt, espresso in a large bowl with a whisk. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, butter and coffee in another bowl. Add the liquids to the the dry ingredients mix until almost combined and then add the chocolate chips and mix until combined. Fill the muffin tins evenly with the batter. I used an ice cream scoop to keep it from getting messy and get a more even distribution between the 12 muffins. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.

Heavenly Chocolate Mousse Cannoli

Source - http://penniesonaplatter.com/2009/04/16/heavenly-chocolate-mousse-cannoli/

For garnish:
mini chocolate chips
chocolate ganache

For the shell (pizzelle):
3 eggs
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Stir together the flour and baking powder, and blend into the batter until smooth.

Heat the pizzelle iron, and brush with oil. Drop about one tablespoon of batter onto each circle on the iron. You may need to experiment with the amount of batter and baking time depending on the iron. Bake for 30 to 45 seconds, or until steam is no longer coming out of the iron. Carefully remove cookies from the iron. Immediately and carefully, roll the pizzelle into a tube shape and hold for a few seconds until set.  Since you are doing two at a time, I set a fork on the first rolled one while rolling the second.  It sets quickly.  Cool completely on wax paper.

For the mousse:
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cooled strong coffee, divided
2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups whipping cream, whipped

In a heavy saucepan or double boiler, heat chocolate, 1/4 cup coffee and butter on very low heat until the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes. In another small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining coffee. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in the freezer and stir every 3 minutes until cooled, about 5-10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into a large ziplock freezer bag. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

To assemble:
Pour mini chocolate chips onto a plate or wide bowl.  Snip small (not tiny) hole in the corner of the freezer bag and pipe the mousse into the cannoli shell. Pipe half from one side and then turn and pipe the other half from the other side.  Dip each side into the chocolate chips and drizzle with chocolate ganache.

Whole Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

Source - http://www.laurelofleaves.com/2012/04/whole-orange-chocolate-chip-muffins/

Ingredients:

1 medium size orange1/4 c. coconut sugar1/2 c. maple syrup1 egg1/4 c. milk (raw cow’s milk, or almond or rice milk)6 Tbsp. butter1 1/2 c. whole wheat or spelt flour (preferably freshly ground and/or sprouted)1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. baking soda3 Tbsp. almond meal1/3 c. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 390 F.

Cut unpeeled orange into chunks and remove seeds. Place orange chunks, coconut sugar, and maple syrup into a blender and blend until orange is finely chopped. Add egg, milk, and butter, and blend until combined.

Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a bowl and add almond meal. Pour orange mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Mixture will still be lumpy. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 390 F for 15-20 minutes.

Sinless Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes*

Source - http://www.theknead4speed.com/2010/08/happy-molten-chocolate-lava-cake-day/

Yield: 2 cakes

• 2 Tablespoons (28 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 4 teaspoons Stevia (or sugar)
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Generously coat two 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray or butter.
2. Place chocolate chips in a small microwaveable bowl.  Microwave at 70% power for 1 minute and stir.  Microwave at 70% power for 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is entirely melted.
3. Add applesauce to melted chocolate and stir.
4. With an electric mixer, beat together the egg, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until well-blended.  Add flour and chocolate mixture, mixing just until incorporated. 
5. Divide batter between ramekins.
6. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the outer edges of each cake is set.  The center should tremble slightly when the ramekin is moved.  Watch them carefully while baking!
7. Remove from oven.  Run a knife around the edges of each cake, place a plate upside down on each ramekin, and flip.  Tap the bottom of the ramekin.
8. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or garnish with small scoops of ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.  Serve immediately.

*Note: Even their title screams ”healthified.”  If looking for a richer flavor, replace the applesauce with an equal amount of butter and/or add up to twice as much chocolate to taste.

Chocolate Raspberry Pot Pies

Source - http://www.boysnbiscuits.com/www.boysnbiscuits.com/food/Entries/2010/2/11_chocolate_raspberry_pot_pies.html

 makes eight pies

ingredients

crust:

9 T. cool unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/8 c. sugar

1 egg yolk

1/4 t. vanilla

1/4 t. baking powder

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa powder

filling:

6 egg yolks

4 eggs

1/4 c. sugar

18 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted (about 3 cups chocolate chips)

10 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 cup raspberries

boysnbiscuits.comdirections

For the crust, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolk and vanilla.  Stir in 

baking powder, flour, and cocoa powder.  Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at 

least one hour.

For the filling, combine egg yolks, eggs, and sugar.  Using a hand mixer or a whisk attachment on 

a stand mixer, whip until light and fluffy (this will take several minutes).  Stir in melted chocolate  

and butter.

Place about 5 raspberries into bottoms of 8 (6-ounce) ramekins.

Divide batter among the ramekins, and gently push 3 raspberries down into each one.

Arrange ramekins on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F. for 7 minutes.  

Meanwhile, sprinkle a work surface with cocoa powder, and roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch 

thick.  (If dough is too hard, let it sit for 15 minutes to soften.)

Cut rounds to fit the tops of the pies.  Re-roll any extra dough and cut desired shapes for garnish.

Remove pies from oven, leaving it on.  Top each pie with a round of chocolate crust and bake 

another 8-10 minutes, until crisp.  

Let cool slightly before serving.  You can also make these early in the day, then reheat at 350 

degrees for about 5 minutes.  They are best served the same day.  Serve with whipped cream, if 

desired, and garnish with raspberries.