Magical Chocolate Cake
I have a confession. I'm not a fan of chocolate cake, I will always pick a vanilla cupcake over a chocolate one. But when I came across this recipe, I became a huge fan of this magical chocolate cake. Everyone I have served it to, has agreed, that this is the best chocolate cake they ever had. Give it a try, even if like me, you prefer vanilla cakes.
If you have ever baked a cake before, you know that normally you cream the butter and sugar together. I'm not going to discourage that, but I assure you that you will get a beautiful and delicious cake without that step here.
Recipe
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Step 2:
Mix 2 cups of boiling water with 1 cup of Dutch cocoa. I recommend Nestle Unsweetened Cocoa here. I have used Hershey's Cocoa and it tastes far inferior in this recipe. Set aside and let cool
Step 3:
Melt 1 cup (two sticks butter) and let cool
Step 4:
While the other ingredients cool, put the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:
310 g (2 3/4 cups, but please use a scale and weigh if possible) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Step 5:
Add the cocoa and butter and mix until smooth.
Step 5:
Put in cake pan(s) of your choice. This makes a large amount of cake batter. Yields 2 large cake layers, a small sheet cake, or about 36 cupcakes. Fill pans/cupcakes pan to 3/4 filled to allow for spring.
Frosting:
6 oz semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 heavy cream
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions:
Melt chocolate, heavy cream, and butter in a medium sauce pan on low heat. Stir regularly until ingredients are melted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
Take a large bowl and fill with ice and water. Take a second bowl and place it inside and on top of the bowl with ice in it. Next put the confectioners sugar into the top bowl then slowly pour the sauce pan ingredients on top of the sugar. Stir by hand or electric mixer until smooth. The iced bowl will cool down the mixture and it will slowly stiffen into a spreadable frosting mixture.
Decadent brownies
Finding a good brownie recipe that is the perfect blend of soft and crispy is a challenge. This recipe seems to do both perfectly, satisfying the most discerning brownie lovers every time.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
180g (1 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa (Guittard Burgundy cocoa works great)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 sticks (16 tbsp) salted butter
4 eggs
Optional: Walnut pieces, mixed in or on top
Optional: Semi-sweet chocolate pieces
Add ingredients to large mixing bowl, mix by hand or by electric mixer until blended.
Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with toothpick, and remove when you get a slightly wet toothpick out. It should not be raw, just slightly wet.
Vermont Holiday cookies
Baking this cookie is pure holiday magic
Preheat oven for 325 degrees F.
Mix the following ingredients into a medium to large mixing bowl:
300g (2 1/2 cups) All purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cups butter (12 tbsp or 1 1/2 sticks) softened or room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp King Arthur Flour Gingerbread seasoning
1 egg
Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top.
Mix until all ingredients are fully blended with a stand mixer, hand mixer or by hand.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1 inch balls (or do by hand) and place them on the cookie sheet 4 inches apart.
Bake 8-12 minutes, checking frequently to make sure they don't get over cooked. Cookies are ready when the edges start to brown slightly.
Variations/Notes
I love this recipe with its origins in colonial times. I like to make it with a blend of blackstrap molasses and liquid cane sugar so feel free to experiment with light and dark molasses or even blackstrap molasses to change the flavor profile.
The smell of this cookie baking is truly amazing, it literally is the best holiday aroma therapy I've ever experienced.
chocolate chip cookies-a versatile drop cookie base
Every baker must have at least one great chocolate chip recipe!
The great thing about this recipe is it serves as a base for many different variations by swapping out the types of chips or adding nuts for all types of flavors.
Basic cookie dough recipe
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
320 g all purpose flour
3/4 cups dark brown sugar (swap for light brown sugar for a more subtle flavor)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature or softened)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz of semisweet chocolate chips or any other flavor chip you desire
Mix until all ingredients are fully blended with a stand mixer, hand mixer or by hand.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1 inch balls (or do by hand) and place them on the cookie sheet 4 inches apart.
Bake 8-12 minutes, checking frequently to make sure they don't get over cooked. Cookies are ready when the edges start to brown slightly.
As a general rule, use only 12 ounces of combined mix ins. For example, use 6 ounces of chocolate chips with 6 ounces of nuts, dried fruits, etc.
Rolled sugar cookies
Mix ahead and refrigerate or freeze the dough for later.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
300g (2 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Add ingredients to large mixing bowl, mix by hand or by electric mixer until blended. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Split dough into two parts and work with one half at a time. Using a rolling pin, roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-12 minutes until edges are golden. Remove and cool on a cooling rack. After cookies are cooled, you can leave them plain, cover them in powdered sugar, cover them in glaze, or decorate them.
A great trick to help cookies keep their shape is to roll out the dough into 1/4 sheets onto parchment paper and refrigerate them. Then simply use the cutters to cut them directly on the paper, remove the excess dough and cutters, Then simply bake them as normal.