Soft slightly salty caramel is sandwiched between chocolate shortbread cookies in this updated version of the traditional Linzer cookie. A drizzle of melted chocolate adds another layer of flavor and a little edible glitter makes the cookies sparkle. This amazing flavor combination brings a new and fun twist to a holiday classic.

My mother always swore by sifting, and I have lately become a believer. By breaking up any clumps of flour or other dry ingredients, my cookies bake more evenly and have a better texture.

Cookie Ingredients –

I converted this recipe from metric so that is why some of the measures are a little odd. I actually have taken to weighing ingredients more than measuring with cups and spoons. I find it is actually much easier and there is less clean up involved.

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 Tablespoons un-salted butter, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Sift together all of the dry ingredients together to eliminate any clumps. Use the back of a spoon or your hand to work all of the bits through the mesh.

Mix the butter and the eggs with the sifted ingredients until all the flour is absorbed. The dough will be slightly crumbly but will clump together in your hands.

Shape the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

Chill the dough for at least one hour or overnight. Dough will hold for several days in the fridge if needed.

Roll the chilled dough out about 1/4″ thick on a floured surface. Use a spatula or a bench knife to make sure the dough is not sticking as you roll.

Dip your cookie cutters in flour and cut out your desired shapes. Symmetrical shapes work best, the cookies will get sandwiched together back to back so make sure the shape you are using will work.

Cut out the center of half of your cookies with what ever shape you like. These cut out cookies will make the tops of the little sandwiches. Be sure you have equal amounts of cookies with the holes in them and the bottoms.

Arrange your cut cookies on parchment or sil-pat lined baking trays. Place the trays of cut cookies in the fridge for 15 – 20 minutes before baking off. This trick helps the cookies keep their shape and also reduces spreading.

Heat your oven to 350°F for conventional or 325°F for convection. If you are baking only one tray at a time position your oven rack in the center. Position your racks in the B & D positions if you are using two racks.

Bake cookies for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. It is best to start by baking for 8 minutes and then check for color. Since they are a chocolate cookies you need to watch the edges more than the top.

Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to completely cool.

Caramel Ingredients –

Be very careful when working with any melted sugar. It gets extremely hot and can burn very easily.

• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3.5 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Pour the sugar into a medium sized pan over medium heat. Spread sugar over the entire bottom. DO NOT STIR.

Watch for the sugar to begin to melt and take on an amber color after 2 or 3 minutes. DO NOT STIR.

When about a fourth of the sugar has melted and turned a nice color it is time to STIR. The sugar will completely dissolve as soon as you begin to stir. Make sure all the sugar is melted before adding any ingredients.

Add the butter in tablespoon size pieces and stir continuously. The sugar will foam up as the butter melts into it, so just keep stirring.

Heat the cream in the micro before adding it SLOWLY to the bubbling pot of sugar and butter. Don’t boil the cream, just get it hot. Also add the salt and stir. The mixture will be bubbly and foamy, reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to workable temperature. The caramel will thicken as it cools.

Pipe or spoon the caramel on to the back or pan side of one of the solid cookies when the caramel has cooled to a temperature that it can be easily handled.

Gently press one of the cookie tops on to the caramel to make a sandwich. The soft caramel will fill the center when pressed together. Be careful not to break the cookies or squeeze all the filling out.

Drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate when the caramel has completely set up.

Dazzle your cookies with a little bit of edible glitter to give them an extra holiday glow.

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Salted Caramel Chocolate Linzer Cookies

An updated twist on a classic holiday cookie. Soft salted caramel is sandwiched between tender chocolate shortbread cookies then topped with some melted chocolate.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Chocolate, Christmas cookies, Linzer Cookie

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 Tablespoons un-salted butter softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Caramel

• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3.5 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Decoration

• Melted milk or dark chocolate

Instructions

Cookies

• Mix together all ingredients with a hand mixer. Knead the dough to form a smooth short crust pastry. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or overnight.
• Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350°F. (If using convection set temperature to 325°F and position oven racks accordingly).
• Roll the dough on a floured work surface to about a ¼” thick. Cut out the desired shapes making sure that half of the cookies have a hole in them.
• Place cut out cookies on parchment or silpat lined baking trays. Place trays of cut cookies in the fridge for about 15 minutes prior to baking to help hold the shape.
• Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
• Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel

• Place the sugar in a pan over medium heat. Do not stir. Heat the sugar until the sugar has started to melt and turn an amber color. When about ¼ of the sugar is melted, give the sugar a stir. The sugar mass will melt and all the crystals should be dissolved.
• Cut the butter into pieces and carefully add to the melted sugar, stirring constantly.
• Heat the cream in the microwave and slowly add to the melted sugar & butter. Stir continuously. Add the salt and continue to stir the bubbling mixture.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle. Caramel will thicken as it cools.

Decoration

• Melt about ¼ cup of milk or dark chocolate in the microwave.
• Drizzle over top of assembled and cooled cookies.

Assemble

• When the caramel is cool enough to handle transfer to a piping bag. Pipe an even layer on the back or pan side of one of the cookies with no hole. Carefully press one of the cut out cookies on top. Pipe more caramel into the cut out if desired.
• Let cookies set up until caramel is firm.
• Melt chocolate in the micro and pipe or drizzle over cookies. Allow to set up completely before storing in an air tight container.

This incredibly tender decadent dark chocolate cake is topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting making one of my favorite flavor combination. Special dark cocoa powder along with dark chocolate chips make this a chocoholics dream cake. Peanut butter chips and a thick blanket of peanut butter buttercream complete this amazingly rich cake.

Last week I was treated to a big bag of fresh produce from a dear friends garden. In the bag hidden under layers of green beans, peppers and beautiful heirloom tomatoes, I discovered a half dozen rather large zucchini. I was aware that my friend was going to include some squash in along with the other goodies, but found it fun that there were so many. Anyone who grows a garden knows how once the squash start producing, you wonder why you planted so many plants.

While we enjoyed some of the zucchini fresh in salads and grilled, I found I still had quite a bit left. So I started thinking about a making bread or a cake. Then I recalled one of the best brownies I had ever tasted that was made with zucchini and decided to make a chocolate treat. This cake turned out incredible! So moist and tender, and with an amazing dark chocolate goodness. This cake certainly would not require any frosting or icing, however when I was getting the chocolate chips for the cake out of the pantry, I came across a cup of peanut butter chips I left over from something, and my inspiration was born.

A potato ricer makes easy work of squeezing the excess water out of the fresh grated zucchini.

Preparing the zucchini for the cake is really easy. I like to peel the squash especially if they are larger, the skin becomes tough and bitter. If the zucchini are rather large they also might contain seeds, in that case halve the squash and use a spoon to remove. A food processor fitted with a shredding blade can make quick work of preparing the vegetable however I usually find the box grater just as easy and less to clean. I have found that the best way to remove the excess liquid from the squash is by using my potato ricer. I fill the cup about half-way with the shredded squash and squeeze hard. You can also use a clean kitchen towel to wring out the water, or place the shredded product in a wire strainer and use the back of a spoon to remove the water.

The batter for this cake will be quite thick but this will compensate for the water in the zucchini during baking.

Regular or natural peanut butter work equally well for this frosting however the natural butters tend to make a bit of a grainy texture.

The peanut butter frosting for this cake could not be much easier. Any kind of peanut butter will work for this recipe, smooth or chunky is really is all a personal preference or just simply use what you have in the cupboard. I had a jar of natural Skippy creamy that I used for this cake. I have experimented in the past with different kinds of peanut butter for this frosting and found the only difference was that the natural butters create a bit of a grainy texture in the finished product. So if you are wanting an extra-creamy butter cream I would suggest not using one of the natural butters.

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Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Zucchini Cake

Decadent, moist and rich dark chocolate cake topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting. Using shredded zucchini from the garden.

Course Cakes, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate cake, zucchini cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Equipment

• Hand mixer

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup butter - melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups grated zucchini – water squeezed out
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup peanut butter chips

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup peanut butter ***
• 2 tablespoons butter – softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar – more as needed for consistency
• mini chocolate chips or chocolate curls for decoration if desired

Instructions

Cake:

• Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5” loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl sift together Flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until pale and creamy. Mix in butter and vanilla. Stir in zucchini and mix until completely incorporated.
• Mix the dry ingredients in to the wet. Mix only enough to completely combine. Batter will be thick.
• Spread into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the wetness of the zucchini. Test with a tooth pick or knife.
• Remove from oven and let stand in the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to completely cool before frosting.

Frosting:

• Cream together peanut butter and butter. Beat in vanilla, salt, and cream. Add powdered sugar slowly and mix. If needed add more powdered sugar.
• Spread over cooled cake and top with chocolate chips or curls if desired.

Notes

Squeeze as much water as possible out of the shredded zucchini. I find a potato ricer works extremely well.

 

***Either creamy or smooth work well, your choice. Natural peanut butters make the frosting a bit grainy but equally as tasty. 

Soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies are studded with white chocolate morsels and brandy soaked cherries to bring a favorite holiday flavor alive.  A drizzle of cherry brandy icing puts all the flavors together to make that chocolate-cherry dream come true.  My grandfather Vance loved chocolate covered cherries and would always be sure to have some around at Christmas.  I remember as a kid being offered one as a special treat when we would visit our grandparents, so having a box of cherry cordials has long been a holiday tradition for me.  This cookie reminds me of that once a year, extra special treat and just how much joy my grandfather had passing on one of his favorite holiday traditions with his grandchildren.

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Cherry Cordial Cookies

Soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies are filled with white chocolate morsels and brandy soaked cherries. This cookie is also known as a Black Forest cookie.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, German

Keyword Black Forest Cookies, Cherry Cordial Cookies, Holiday baking

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Dozen

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup dried cherries rough chopped
• ¼ cup Kirschwasser or brandy optional ***

Cherry Icing

• 1 cup powder sugar sifted
• 2-3 drops cherry flavoring
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons water as needed

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy, add sugars and cream together until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg and vanilla until completely combined.
• Rough chop the dried cherries and set aside.
• In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. Add milk and mix well, dough will be thick and sticky. Mix in white chocolate chips and cherries. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F or 325°F for convection. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
• Remove dough from fridge and allow warming at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes. Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of the dough with a cookie scoop or spoon. Roll into a ball with your hands and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake cookies for 10 minutes (cookies will appear a bit soft in the middle). Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Icing

• Place sifted powder sugar in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of the remaining brandy from the cherries or a few drops of cherry flavored oil. Slowly mix in just enough water to make a icing that can be drizzled over the cookies.

Notes

*** Place the chopped cherries in a small bowl with brandy to soak, cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight or until most of the brandy is absorbed. Drain off any remaining brandy before adding cherries to the dough. Remaining juice can be added to the icing for some extra flavor.

Decadent rich and silky dark chocolate makes these ooey, gooey, chewy brownies the best you may every taste.  Thick and sinfully delicious these brownies are studded with chunks of chocolate goodness and topped with even more.  Sure to satisfy the chocolate lover in your family these bars also make an unforgettable warm brownie sundae.

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Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Possible the best brownie ever! A thin crispy crust tops a thick decadent rich, ooey and gooey double chocolate fudge brownie. This easy to make brownie is sure to become a family favorite. Try them slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chopped
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips melted for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°Grease and line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
• In a double boiler melt chocolate and butter together. Whisk until smooth. Add sugar and mix until smooth. Add extracts and stir to combine.
• Mix in eggs one at a time stirring until smooth.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture stirring to combine (do not over work). Fold in ¾ cups of the chopped chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate evenly over the top.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted into brownies comes out just slightly wet. Bake 5 minutes longer or until tester comes out clean if you prefer a more cake-like brownie.
• Remove from oven cool in pan on wire rack. Run a knife around the edge of the brownies anywhere they have come in contact with the pan. When cooled lift brownies of the pan.
• Melt milk chocolate chips in the microwave in 15 second increments until melted, stir often and do not over temper. Drizzle melted chocolate over brownies and allow to set completely before cutting.
• Cut the brownies into 16 pieces. Use a warm knife to cut the bars and wipe the blade clean each cut for neat edges.

Notes

Instructions for how to melt chocolate in the microwave

Velvety smooth and rich dark chocolate fills a golden flaky pasty crust in this stunning and decadent dessert.  Topped with delicate leaves of chocolate and fresh blueberries, this one is a chocoholics dream come true.  This tart would make the perfect ending to any dinner party, or surprise your valentine with this luxurious treat that is so very easy to prepare.  That part can be our secret!

I confess I do love chocolate, especially dark chocolate and lately I have been loving it combined with blueberries.  I have always liked how orange and raspberry works but had never given much attention to blueberries, until recently I started following a few bloggers from Germany and find that this combination is quite popular and for a good reason I will add.

I also like playing with chocolate, making candies and dipping things.  It is very satisfying for me because it is just fun, and also because people are always so amazed by the results.  I do not consider myself an expert by any means, I know it takes years of work to master the art of chocolate, but I do enjoy making a mess and seeing what I can come up with.  Hope you do too!

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Chocolate Leaves

Chocolate leaves are easy to make and are an impressive garnish for cakes and desserts.

Course Dessert

Keyword Chocolate, Desserts

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• Chocolate roughly ½ ounce per leaf, chopped

Things that you will need

• Squares of wax paper 1 per leaf
• Pastry comb
• Spatula
• Stapler
• Clothes pins

Instructions

• Chop the chocolate in to small even size pieces and place in a microwaveable bowl.  The amount of chocolate you will need will depend on the size and quantity of the leaves you are making.  It takes roughly one half ounce for a two to three inch leaf.
• Melt the chocolate by heating in 20 second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each 20 seconds to allow chocolate to melt.   Do not over heat.   If you are not sure here is a link to How to Temper Chocolate in the Microwave.
• Pour or spoon a small amount of melted chocolate along the center of the wax paper in a line from corner to corner
• Using the pastry comb work from the center of the chocolate and drag the comb out at an angle away from the center in both directions
• Using your finger to draw the outline edge of the leaf on each side, then using the spatula remove the excess chocolate outside of your leaf shape
• Lift the wax paper by the opposite two corners and staple them together so that the leaf is curled.  Use the clothes pin to clip the sling on to a small glass or cup. This will help to hold the curled shape while the chocolate sets up.  Place the leaves clipped to the cup in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
• Carefully tear apart the stapled corners and carefully peel the paper back from the leaves.  Avoid handling them with your fingers as your body temperature will melt them.
• Use the leaves to decorate cakes and most any dessert

Notes

The amount of chocolate you will need will depend on the size and quantity of the leaves you are making.  It takes roughly one half ounce for a two to three inch leaf.

 

If you are not sure about melting chocolate here is a link:

How to Temper Chocolate in the Microwave.

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Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

Decadent and rich easy-to-make chocolate tart is always a winner.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword Chocolate Tart, Desserts

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Chill 1 hour hour

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 single pie crust from scratch or refrigerated
• 1 cup dark chocolate - not chips chopped
• 1 cup milk chocolate chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces
• 1 ounce Grand Marnier optional

Instructions

• Roll out the pie crust and place in a 9” tart pan.  Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and blind bake in a 375°F oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.   Remove from oven and place on wire rack to completely cool.
• Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl.
• Heat cream and butter on the stove or in the microwave until just barely boiling.
• Pour hot cream over chocolate and let stand for about 5 minutes to soften chocolate.  Mix with a whisk until chocolate and cream becomes a smooth mixture.   Allow mixture to cool slightly, almost to room temp, but still pour-able.
• Add Grand Marnier if desired and mix well.
• Pour chocolate filling into tart crust and place in the fridge to set up, at least 1 hour.
• Top with chocolate decorations and fruit if desired.

Notes

Here is a link to a Basic Pie Crust

 

 

Use a good quality dark chocolate,  but not chips.  Chips have an added stabilizer to help them maintain their shape and not really good for this application. 

Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, and butterscotch chips fill these cookie bars with pure love.  Topped with a drizzle of salted caramel and some additional dark chocolate these bars are a decadent “dressed up” version of the beloved chocolate chip cookie.  Easier than making individual cookies, these bars are a quick way to throw together a tasty treat that everyone will love.

A couple of weeks ago my partner and I hosted a fund-raiser in our home, my task was to put together the appetizers and drinks for the group.  I wanted to serve things that were going to be relatively simple to prepare, and also easy to eat.  Numerous times I have attended mixers where beautiful food was served but it was rather difficult to enjoy.   Often hosts choose foods that either involve silverware or are too sticky or saucy to eat with just your fingers.  When mingling in a room, balancing a drink in one hand and a small plate in the other, you really need items that are bite-sized and easy to manage.

Since this party was for a fund-raiser I wanted to serve foods that were not from a deli case and would hopefully seem special.  I decided upon some mini-muffin sized puff pastry quiche, and a charcuterie board with an assortment of grilled sausages and various cheeses (which I cut and sliced in to easy to grab bites), but the dessert had me stumped.  My partner suggested that I do something easy like cookies, but to me that seemed too informal.  Over night I started warming to the idea of cookies because I knew they would be a snap.  As the other preparations were well underway I started dreading the idea of making rounds of cookies, I know that sounds lazy but after messing with everything else I was running out of energy and time.  Then it occurred to me to simply bake one big cookie I could cut up and serve.

I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe but added a few more chips.  Usually I like to add nuts to my cookies but anymore when playing to a larger audience I tend to skip them.  I lined my 9″x 12″ pan with aluminum foil that I spritzed with some non-stick spray.  I find it helpful in baking bars to line the pan with foil or parchment paper which makes for easy removal.  Using my mixing spoon I dropped large dollops of the dough across the pan and then used an offset knife to spread the dough evenly.  This was probably the most difficult part of the project.  As I attempted to spread the dough the foil wanted to slide, but I was able to hold it in place with one hand as I spread the dough with the other.  It really was quite easy one I figured out my method.

The bars take a bit longer to bake than a pan of cookies, about 30 minutes instead of the usual 12 – 15.  When the bars were golden brown I pulled the pan from the oven and placed it on a wire rack to cool.  I attempted to lift the bars out of the pan after about 15 minutes but found that they were still too warm and I was concerned I would damage the big cookie.  Around 30 minutes of cooling time, the bars were stable enough to remove from the pan so I lifted them out foil and all and placed them on the rack to cool completely before removing the liner.  I trimmed the edges or crusts off, then used my trusty wooden ruler that I keep around just for baking projects to cut squares.  I ended up with 40 bars to serve plus some nice edge pieces that we could munch on.  While the bars looked good enough to serve as is, I decided that for this event I would dress them up with a little drizzle, so I tempered in the microwave a small amount of dark chocolate and also some salted caramel for the tops.  I have a roll of small plastic piping bags that I picked up that work great for this type of thing, and use a water-glass or tumbler to stand the bags in for easy filling.

In the end I was pleased since the entire project including melting the chocolate for the topping took less time than making 40 drop cookies.  The finished product actually looked quite elegant and was a total hit.  I got many compliments on the bars, and several people even asked what this delicious treat was.  It made me chuckle inside a little bit to reply “just chocolate chip cookies”.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

A favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe baked in a pan and served as bars.  Quick way to make a favorite treat that is easy to dress up for a formal occasion.

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip cookie bars, chocolate chip cookies, pan of chocolate chip cookie bars

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Decorating 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 40 Bars

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour add 2 Tbs for high elevation
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softenend
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate melting chips decoration
• 1/4 cup salted caramel melting chips decoration

Instructions

• Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 350 F.
• Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Mix well.
• Cream together butter with both sugars until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time mixing well.  Add extracts and mix.
• Add the flour 1/3 at a time stirring to combine.  Do not over mix.
• Fold chocolate chips and nuts into the batter mixing only enough to combine.
• Line a 9 x 12 pan with foil and lightly butter or grease.  Drop the dough in spoonfuls into the pan.  Pat flat with your had or an offset spatula.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.  
• Place pan on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes before lifting foil liner out.  Place foil liner of cookies on a rack and allow to completely cool before removing the foil to prevent breaking the bars.
• Trim off the edges and cut the bars into 1 1/4" squares.  
• Place wire racks over wax paper.  Place bars on the rack a few inches apart and drizzle with melted chocolates.  Allow decoration to completely cool before transferring.

Notes

This size pan yields 40 - 1 1/4" bars.  For a thicker bar use a smaller pan and increase baking time.

 

Any cookie recipe will work for this method however you may need to adjust baking time.

Moist and dense, incredibly rich and fudgy, a chocoholics dream come true. Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic and uses only a 1/4 cup of flour making chocolate the real star of this treat.  So delicious and easy to make, these brownies might just become a weekly ritual.

Recently I have found myself tuning in to watch movies on TCM.  They are celebrating 30 days of Oscars by featuring movies that have won Academy awards.  The other day I happened upon a movie with the fabulous Katharine Hepburn.  I have always enjoyed and appreciated her style and humor.  Watching her got me to thinking about a phone conversation I recently had with my sister, who was in the process of making Katharine’s brownies to take to her office for a pot luck.  She told me she uses these brownies as a go-to for just such gatherings, partly for the ease, but mostly because everyone always enjoys them.  I realized I had never tried these wonders so I decided to give the Academy’s Best Actress award winners recipe a go.

Well the outcome was really quite delicious!  I am not sure they are the best brownie I have ever tasted, but they certainly are right up there.  Since using only a small amount of flour, the recipe produces a very rich, very chocolaty brownie that I will say was certainly easy to make.  I did decide to dress them up just a little with a drizzle of dark chocolate.  I know the original recipe doesn’t call for it, but I didn’t think a chocoholic like Katharine would mind.

”And don’t over-bake them! They should be moist, not cakey!” 

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Katharine Hepburn’s ‘Home-Wrecking’ Brownies

Moist and dense, a chocolate lovers dream brownie. This is the famous family recipe known as Katharine Hepburn's Brownies, which were originally printed in a New York Times letter to the editor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Retro

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate (2 squares), or ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
• Butter the sides and bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment to prevent sticking.
• In a dry skillet over medium high heat, lightly toast the nuts. Set aside to cool.
• Melt the chocolate with the butter in a stainless bowl over a pan of boiling water.  Use a bowl large enough to mix all the ingredients. 
• Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Allow to cool slightly.
• Stir in the eggs one at a time, add vanilla and mix until smooth.
• Add the flour and salt, stir until smooth. Fold in the nuts.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
• ''And don't over-bake them! They should be moist, not cakey!''
• Cool brownies in the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Notes

For best results, cover the pan of cooled brownies with cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight before cutting. This allows time for the flavors to develop and produces the most ultimate moist brownie.

Drizzle with dark chocolate if desired.

Rich chocolate and cool mint mingle to create an explosion of flavor in these grasshopper brownies.  This recipe utilizes brownie mix and canned frosting to make an easy and delicious quick treat.  The combination of mint and chocolate is by no means new to the scene.   York has been making their famous peppermint patty, children have been dunking peppermint sticks in to cocoa, and the Girl Scouts have been peddling Thin Mints for years.

I am not really sure why this minty dessert was ever named the grasshopper other than for its color, I mean there are no actual insects in any recipe I have ever found.  There is a famous cocktail named the grasshopper made with creme de menthe and white cream de cacao which has been around since the early 1950’s, about the same time that grasshopper pie started showing up.  There is no way to know which came first, but luckily someone had the mind to throw these flavors together.

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Grasshopper Brownies

Rich chocolate and cool mint mingle to create an explosion of flavor in these grasshopper brownies. This recipe utilizes brownie mix and canned frosting to make an easy and delicious quick treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16 2 x 2 Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix prepare as directed on box
• ½ cup Andes mint baking chips
• 1 can cream cheese frosting
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Creme de Menthe or 1 teaspoon mint extract
• 2 - 3 drops drops green soft gel food coloring
• ¾ cup dark chocolate baking chips
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua optional

Instructions

• Add mint chips to brownie mix and bake in an 8″ x 8″ pan following the instructions on the box. Allow to completely cool.
• Place frosting in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
• Add powdered sugar, creme de menthe (or extract), and color. Mix until thoroughly combined.
• Spread frosting evenly over cooled brownies. Place in fridge to set frosting.
• Place chocolate chips is a small mixing bowl.
• Heat cream in the microwave until hot (not boiling).
• Pour hot cream over chips and allow to stand for about three minutes. Stir to combine.
• Chocolate will thicken as it cools.  Add Kahlua to ganache if desired.
• When chocolate reaches room temperature pour over the top of mint layer.
• Level with a spatula if necessary.
• Place brownies in the fridge for about thirty minutes to set ganache.

Notes

I used a box mix and canned frosting for this quick and easy treat, if you prefer to make everything from scratch, knock yourself out.

Delightfully creamy and absolutely delicious, Cranberry & Pistachio Dream Fudge melts in your mouth and brings the flavors of the holiday alive. This velvety smooth candy is quick and easy to prepare, and is the perfect complement to other holiday goodies. Full of cranberries and nuts, this white chocolate dream is finished with a hint of citrus which awakens the senses with each and every bite. Pair with a glass of sparkling wine to create the perfect after dinner dessert.

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Cranberry & Pistachio Dream Fudge

Delightfully creamy and absolutely delicious, Cranberry & Pistachio Dream Fudge melts in your mouth and brings the flavors of the holiday alive. This velvety smooth candy is quick and easy to prepare, and is the perfect complement to other holiday goodies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 64 Pieces

Ingredients

• 2 12 oz. bags white baking chips
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• ¾ Cup dried cranberries rough chopped
• ½ Cup pistachio nuts coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Line an 8” x 8” baking dish with foil, extending the foil over the sides and lightly grease with butter.
• In a 2 quart heavy sauce pan, combine baking chips and condensed milk. Melt chips over low heat stirring often until mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in about three fourths of the dried cranberries and pistachios reserving the rest for the topping. Stir in orange zest and vanilla. Mix well.
• Pour into prepared baking dish. Level fudge out with a spatula and top with remaining cranberries and pistachios while still warm.
• Cover and chill for about 2 hours or until firm.
• Lift fudge out of pan by the foil and cut into small pieces. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.

This year I find myself looking at the calendar in amazement wondering where all the time I thought I had before the holidays went. Actually the whole summer and fall have pretty much zip-pity do da-ed right out of my arse. Spring storms this year brought hail and water damage to our home. So in addition to playing general contractor for the already scheduled brick work, I found my self managing a new roof and gutters (thank-you State Farm), as well as the painting of all the exterior trim. The unplanned remodeling of the lower level of our house did offer us new options for finally completing the “man cave” of our dreams (with a giant HD television, amazing sound system, and sexy lighting) however I guess between doing much of the work myself and organizing the rest, I somehow lost a month or two.

Suddenly it was Thanksgiving (didn’t even see that one coming) and now it was time to decorate the house and make holiday treats for family and friends, neighbors, and the caregivers at the home where my mother resides. So I got busy and busted out a dozen of my trusted holiday family favorites and got to work. As I completed the last treat, I felt that I had sifted, creamed, chopped, dusted, and rolled about as much butter, flour, and sugar as I could possible tolerate. Seems to come a point each year where I am just over it, and with company arriving this coming Wednesday (hopefully a bit later in the day than the new furniture and bed are to be delivered, nothing like running a tight schedule) I felt like I had everything taken care of.  Then came the question. “You are going to make Peanut butter balls aren’t you? I don’t see any peanut butter balls. They are my favorite and you always make them. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them”.

So overnight as I lay awake dreading the idea of rolling and dipping yet another item, the thought came to me to simply make them as a bar. The recipe itself is quite simple, so why not just let simple be and make my life the same. Well the experiment worked quite well I must say. I prepared the filling as I normally would for the balls, but instead pressed it into an 8″ x 8″ pan that I had lined with foil and buttered. Then I tempered some chocolate and flooded it over the top of the filling. I allowed the pan to set up overnight, cut the bar into pieces and….. ta da! I did go the extra and melt some peanut butter chips to decorate the tops but that certainly would have not been necessary. I must say they turned out really quite good. I still think I might prefer the rolled ones, but for this holiday, simple is certainly……. simply delicious.

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Peanut Butter Ball Bars

Everyone's favorite chocolate and peanut butter balls made in an easy bar form.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 48 Candies

Ingredients

• 1   cup butter softened
• 1   cup peanut butter smooth or crunchy
• 2   cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3   cups powdered sugar
• 1  12 oz. bag semi-sweet baking chips

Instructions

• Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with butter
• Mix together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add graham crackers and mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until a soft dough forms.
• Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Melt chocolate by tempering either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter mixture and spread evenly.
• Allow for chocolate to set up before cutting. You can speed up this process by placing pan in the fridge.
• Using the foil lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 1" - 1 1/2" squares. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

You can use any recipe for Peanut Butter Balls with this method.

More recipes you might enjoy:

Better Homes and Gardens

Joy of Baking

Sweet Anna’s

Taste of Home

The Girl Who Ate Everything