Eat This: Brownie In A Mug

Busy day out and about. Football playoffs. No one wants to go to the grocery store, but there is that nagging, "Where's my chocolate?"

I've got your chocolate. 

In a mug.

Hot.

With chips.

And pecans.  

A brownie, steaming hot topped with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream. Yeah baby.  Delicious. 

Check out how easy this is.

Ingredients (per serving):

4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Heaping tablespoons chocolate chips
2 Heaping tablespoons chopped pecans
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 Egg yolk (no white)
1 Pinch salt (if using salted butter omit this)
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in the mug in microwave.  Stir in sugars until well combined.  Add egg yolk and vanilla and stir.  Add flour, cocoa and salt, if using, and stir to combine.  Add chips and pecans.

Microwave for one minute on full power. Do not over cook. It will be moist in the center. Let sit for three minutes, if you can, before topping with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Delicious.  
Not for the faint of heart. 
Not diet food. 
Just delicious.

Eat This: Smitten Kitchen "Favorite Brownies" With Hazelnuts

Deb Perelman at the Smitten Kitchen blog got me started down the road to blogging and enjoying recipes online.  I read blogs like other people read biographies, unashamedly, unabashedly, happily.  

Deb's recipe for "My Favorite Brownies" was simple and delicious and now my new favorite.  I made three small changes and they turned out perfectly.  (1) I dusted the pan with cocoa powder before adding the batter (2) I added one teaspoon of instant espresso powder and, (3) I added one cup of chopped hazelnuts.  I was just in that kind of mood.  These lend themselves to additions really well.

Holiday Baking: Texas Style Chocolate Chocolate Pecan Cookies

I love chocolate chip cookies. I also like to refresh old standard recipes.  This is one of my favorite recipes - results in dark, spicy, sweet, chewy, brownie-like cookies.  The combination of sweet, chocolate, nuts and a little "spice" courtesy of the chipotle powder is unbeatable.  Not enough to be "hot", just enough to be "interesting".  Key to the success of this recipe this is the refrigeration, baking times and exact measurements.  Don't vary and these will turn out great. 

Here are the ingredients you need to make it happen:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (enhances the chocolate flavor and you will never know it's here)
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (don't use more or it gets "hot" instead of interesting)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (again, just a "flavor layer" and not a major player)
• 5 tablespoons good cocoa powder (please do not use cheap cocoa - it makes a difference)
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
• 1 cup chopped, tasted pecans (toasting the pecans lets the essential oils release and improves the flavor radically IMHO)

Directions

Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, chipotle, espresso, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda together into a large bowl.

Sifting is key to insure even distribution of dry ingredients.

 Toast the pecans.  I used the toaster oven. You can also do it on the stovetop or in the oven. Be careful they don't burn or get too dark - they get bitter.  If they do, discard and go again.  I also substitute walnuts or any other favorite nut here. Once cooled, chop them and reserve for later. The nuts, whatever variety you choose, are the only thing that I use more of than the receipe calls for because I love them.  I used 1 1/2 cups chopped.

Toast these for much better flavor!

 Next, I beat the butter and sugars with the paddle attachment on my Kitchenaid stand mixer  on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minute.

Be sure to let this soften or you won't get perfect incorporation.

I use light brown sugar because I think it has a better flavor for cookies.

Add ONE EGG at a time and incorporate completely before adding the next.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans - I do this on the lowest setting on the Kitchenaid ( you can also do it my hand if you are REALLY strong).

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.

Remember: LET THE DOUGH REST FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. I prepare my half sheet pans using Silpat liners.  I think they are indispensable, but you can also just use parchment paper.

The original recipe this was adapted from called for "Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart".  I use a 50+ year old ice cream scoop and leave them in the little domed shape. They bake out nicely and I have pretty uniform cookies; it makes me happy!

Bake until the cookies are firm and dry around the edges; they will still be soft in the middle, about 12 minutes. Resist the urge to bake "for a couple of more minutes" - if you do, the bottom gets too stiff and dark and the texture just isn't as good.  Trust me. Been there, done that. These are a little like brownies in cookie form.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Homemade: Nutella

I snagged this recipe from a very nicely done, new (to me) website, Sunday-Suppers.com.  I love Nutella.  What could be better than nuts and chocolate? Who knew you could make it yourself? I think I might add just a touch more sweet; not a lot mind you, but a little.  I've taken the exact recipe from the site, but keep that in mind. if you have a little more of a sweet tooth.

The recipe is quite straightforward and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!  Looks like a trip to the grocery tomorrow just in time for Mother's Day.

Homemade Nutella

Start to finish: 30 minutes                                                                     Yield: 2 jars

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup hazelnuts

1 3/4 cup whole milk

6 tbsp. confectioners sugar 

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp. canola oil
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped


Special equipment: food processor

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and roast them for 12 minutes, until the hazelnuts are browned and the skins are blistered a little. Wrap them in a kitchen towel and rub to remove as much loose skin as possible. Set aside.

In a small saucepan warm the whole milk with the sugar and salt just until it starts to boil. Remove from heat.

In a bowl over a water bath, (or in a microwave), melt the chocolate.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, grind the warm hazelnuts and almonds until they’re as fine as possible. Add the melted chocolate and oil and continue to process the mixture. Add the warm milk mixture and process until everything is smoothly combined. Transfer the mixture into two jars and refrigerate until ready to use.

Best served with fresh Blood Orange Mimosas ... we'll talk about those next time.

Craving Satisfied: Chocolate Cake In A Mug

I love chocolate. Anyone who knows me knows it.  A friend mentioned recently in a FaceBook post that she recently made a "Cake In A Mug".  I Googled it and found so many hits it was crazy!  I had a really strong craving for chocolate after dinner, fueled by an 80 year old chocoholic mother, so I whipped it up; cooked in a tall Starbucks mug!

Chocolate Cake In A Mug

It totally hit the spot.  Here's the recipe as modified by me. I like to add a little something so here is my take on it!

4 tablespoons cake flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (Use GOOD cocoa powder)

1/2 tablespoon instant espresso

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg beaten

3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
2 -3 drops vanilla 

In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, tiny pinch baking powder and tiny pinch salt. (This can also be mixed directly into a large mug). Add egg and mix into dry mixture. Add oil and milk and mix well. Grease a tall, large mug, and pour in this mixture, scraping out with a spatula.

Place in microwave on High for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes.

Best slightly undercooked, so be careful. Microwave ovens vary - mine is mad powerful.  I cooked mine for 2:30.  Delicious topped with a scoop of frozen yogurt!

Enjoy!