Chocolate Chip and Nutella Cookie Bars

Operation power belly continues onward, as I decided I needed more sugary treats in my life.  I found this recipe for cookie bars, and made the drastic innovation of swapping out peanut butter for Nutella. I know, I know, I’m like the Ferran Adria of baking. Seriously though, simple is usually the way to go wwith baking, even though I’m always tempted to go over the top and do stuff like 5 layer smores bars, or cheesecake topped brownies.

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/3 cup Nutella

1 large egg

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (ghiradelli 60% cacao was used here) + extra on top

Preheat your oven to 350°F, and line an 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper. Give it a spritz of cooking spray as well.

Place the butter in a bowl, and put that bowl on top of a small pot of simmering water, whisk as the butter melts. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for a few minutes so it doesn’t cook your egg.

Add the cooled butter, egg, nutella, brown sugar, vanilla and salt to a bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Add in the flour, and fold until just combined – don’t mix more than you have to.

Fold in the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Transfer the batter into the baking pan, using a spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle some more chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bars comes out clean (or mostly clean). Allow bars to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

An extremely rich mashup of two recipes:

http://www.marthastewart.com/314726/fudgy-chocolate-brownies

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peanut-Butter-and-Chocolate-Cheesecake-Brownies-351049

Brownie Layer:

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1.5 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Layer:

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Brownie Layer:

Make a double broiler by filling a medium pot halfway up with water and placing a large bowl on top. Turn the heat on to medium, and add in the chocolate and butter. Stir until both have melted, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Stir in the sugar, then whisk in the eggs one by one. Add in the vanilla. Fold in the flour and salt.

Prepare an 8”x8” baking pan by placing a piece of parchment paper into it with about 1” overhang on all sides. Pour in the brownie mixture.

Cheesecake Layer:

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Add in the sugar, beating until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time. Add the cream, then the flour. Pour 2/3 of the mixture over the brownie mixture, and spread even with a rubber spatula.

Place the 2 oz. of chocolate into a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave on low for 10 second intervals until melted. Stir the melted chocolate into the remaining cheesecake mixture. Add the chocolate batter on top of the other cheesecake batter, and swirl with a butter knife.

Bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are puffed and the center is set. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Chocolate Fallen Souffle Cake

There’s no better cake than chocolate, and I just had to satisfy my sweet tooth today. The center of this cake will fall as it cools. You should allow it to completely cool before digging in, which I didn’t, which is why the piece looks a little runny at the end. There’s only a few ingredients, so be sure to get high-quality chocolate, or else the end product wont’ taste all the great. I used Ghiradelli 62% cacao. This recipe comes from the Staff Meals from Chanterelle.

Recipe:

1 lb. good quality chocolate

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

9 large eggs, separated

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Cocoa powder, for dusting the cake

Powdered sugar, for dusting the cake.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Prepare a double broiler by placing a bowl on top of a simmering pot of water. Add the chocolate and butter, and stir as it melts. Once the mixture is almost completely melted, remove from heat and stir until the final bit melts.

In a large bowl, add the 9 egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar. Using an electric mixer, blend for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture falls in ribbons from the mixer blades.

In a separate bowl, add 9 egg whites and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the egg whites form soft peaks.

Gently Fold in 1/3 of the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg yolks. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites (again, gently!). Repeat with the remaining chocolate and egg whites.

Once everything is incorporated, butter and flour a 9” springform pan. Carefully pour in the mixture and bake for 30 minutes, until the outside is set but the center of the cake is still jiggly. Let cool completely, then remove the side of the springform pan. Dust the cake with a layer of cocoa powder, then a layer of powdered sugar, then another layer of cocoa powder, and finally one last layer of powdered sugar.

Witch Finger Cupcakes

Only 356 days till Halloween! I meant type this up a while ago, but didn’t get a chance. Even if you don’t feel like making Halloween cupcakes in November (some nerve you’ve got), the cupcake and frosting recipes are fantastic, and perfect for anytime you need a cake fix. This recipe is compiled from the following 3 recipes:

Cupcakes: www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/08/19/best-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe/

Frosting: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cream_cheese_frosting/

Witch fingers: http://www.simplysogood.com/2011/10/creepy-witchs-fingers.html

Now, put on some Witchfinder General and let’s get baking!

Cupcakes:

3 ounces chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacoa), chopped

1/3 cup cocoa powder

¾ cup hot coffee

¾ cup bread flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a bowl and pour the hot coffee on top. Whisk until smooth then refrigerate for 20 minutes to cool.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. In a different bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla.

Add the oil mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture, and whisk. Then add that mixture into the flour bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Ladle the batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners. It takes a bit less than ¼ cup for each cupcake.

Bake until the cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Frosting:

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

8 oz. Neufchatel Cheese (1 package), room temperature

2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

In the bowl of a mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the vanilla extract and mix, then slowly add the powdered sugar with the mixer on. Keep adding until the icing is the desired thickness/sweetness.

Use a spatula to transfer the frosting to a piping bag, and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Still haven't gotten the hang of piping

Witch Finger Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup whole blanched almonds

Green food coloring

1 tube red decorator gel

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extracts. Add flour, baking powder, salt and green food coloring and mix.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, if you need to blanch your almonds  (do they sell almonds pre-blanched? If so, BUY THOSE. I had to do it myself), add them to boiling water for 1 minute, the strain and rinse under cold water. Remove the husks, which is SO MUCH FUN. In theory the skins should slide right off, in practice, god speed.

Once the dough is chilled, time to shape the fingers. Grab about a 1 tablespoon hunk of dough and roll it between your hands into a cigar shape. Keeping the dough between your fingers helps give the ridges that look like gnarly witch knuckles.

Use a toothpick to make creases in the fingers. Press an almond into one end of each cookie. Line the cookies up on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a 325°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until they start to turn pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift the almond off each cookie and squeeze red decorator gel into the nail bed. Press the almond back down for the bloody effect.