Thin and Crispy Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients(25-30 cookies):

All-purpose flour  -- 1 ¾ cups
Baking soda             -- ¾ tsp
Salt                              -- 1 tbsp
Butter                         -- 14 tbsp, melted
Light brown sugar -- ½ cup packed
Sugar                           -- ½ cup
Light corn syrup    -- 2 tbsp, optional - I did not use
Vanilla extract        -- 1 tbsp
Milk                              -- 2 tbsp
Bittersweet chocolate chips -- 1 ½ cups
Chopped nuts           -- 1 cup, optional - any nuts of your choice

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy(and corn syrup if using), 3 - 4 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla, then the milk. Add the flour mixture all at once and blend just until a dough forms.

Fold in the chocolate and nuts. Chill the dough.

Make small balls out of the dough(approx 2 tbsp), then place on the baking sheet and gently flatten them. Place about 2 inches apart

Chill the dough between batches. Bake until the edges are dark golden brown, 14 to 17 minutes.

Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack.

Receipe Courtesy: NY Times

Chocolate Cupcakes with Milk chocolate frosting

(Yields - 14 - 16 cupcakes):

Unsweetened natural cocoa powder -- ½ cup (42g)
All-purpose flour -- ¾ cup (95g) , spoon & leveled
Baking soda            -- ½ tsp
Baking powder      -- ¾ tsp
Salt                             --  ¼ tsp
Eggs                           -- 2 large
Granulated sugar -- ½ cup (100g)
Light brown sugar -- ½ cup (100g) packed
Vegetable oil          -- 1/3 cup (80ml)
Vanilla extract      -- 2 tsps
Buttermilk               -- ½ cup (120ml)

Milk Chocolate Frosting:

Unsalted butter           -- 1 cup (230g) , softened to room temperature
Confectioners' sugar  -- 3 ½ cups (420g)
Unsweetened cocoa powder -- ½ cup (45g)
Salt                                    -- ½ tsp
Vanilla extract             -- 2 tsps
Heavy cream                -- 3 Tablespoons (45ml)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth.

Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently stir - about 5 stirs. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined. Make sure that you do not overmix.

               

The batter won't be very thick. Fill the cups only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake in batches for 18-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 2 minutes.

Turn speed to LOW and slowly add 3 cups of confectioners' sugar, the cocoa powder, and salt. Beat until sugar/cocoa are absorbed into the butter, about 2 minutes.

Turn mixer to medium speed and add the vanilla and cream. Once added, turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute.

Add the remaining confectioners' sugar if you like to increase the frosting's thickness. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.

Recipe Courtesy: Sally's Baking addiction

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

Genoise:

Cake Flour                --   ½ cup
Salt                              --   ¼ tsp
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder --   1/3 cup
Eggs                            --   4 large
Granulated Sugar  --   2/3 cup
Vanilla extract       --   1 tsp
Unsalted Butter     --   3 tbsp, melted

Cherry Sauce:

Cherries                    --   1 lb pitted and chopped, reserve few for decorating
Sugar                          --   ¾ cup
Water                         --   1 cup

Whipped Cream Frosting

Heavy whipping cream  --   2 ½ cups
Vanilla extract       --   1 tsp
Granulated Sugar  --   3 tsp

Chocolate Shavings & Curls

Bar chocolate  --   3.5 oz

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line the bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, salt and cocoa powder 3 - 4 times. Melt the butter and keep aside.

In a heatproof bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar. Place it over a saucepan of simmering water heat until the mixture is lukewarm, keep whisking so that the the eggs do not cook. Remove from heat. Beat on high speed until the mixture is thick and it will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon-like pattern. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Then sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture in three batches and gently fold in using a spatula on each addition.

Take 2 tbsp of the batter and fold it into the melted butter. Then gently fold it into the egg batter.

Pour into your pan, smoothing the top. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a metal rack before removing from pan.

I froze the cake for two days before assembling. Also I wanted a 3 layer cake, so I made 2 batches of the above.

Cherry Filling:

In a sauce pan, add the chopped cherries, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Let it simmer until the cherries are soft and cooked. Remove the cherries and let the liquid alone simmer until you get a semi-thick syrup. Keep aside to cool.

Whipped Cream Frosting:

In the mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and wire whisk in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then beat the mixture just until stiff peaks form.

Chocolate Shavings & Curls:

Use a sharp knife and shave the chocolate bar on the flat side for thin flat shavings. Once that is done, scrape the remaining sides for short curls.

Assemble the Cake:

Cut the genoise, into two layers. Keep the top layer of the cake on the board. Brush the cake layer with ½ of the cherry syrup and cherries. Take ¾ cup of whipped cream and spread on the moistened genoise.

Repeat this with another layer - As I said before, I made 2 cakes and used 3 layers and had 1 left over layer.

Brush the cut-side of second genoise layer with ¼ cup syrup. Place cut-side down on top of the cream.

Reserve some whipped cream for decorating, if required and spread the remaining cream over top and sides of cake. Decorate with fresh cherries and shaved chocolate. Cover and refrigerate the cake for overnight before serving.

 

Recipe Courtesy: Joy of baking

Chocolate Banana Nut bread

 

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour    --   1 ¾ cup, I have also tried with multigrain aata
Cocoa Powder           --   ¼ cup
Granulated Sugar     --   1 cup
Baking Powder          --   1 tsp
Baking Soda                --   ¼ tsp
Salt                                 --   ¼ tsp
Eggs                               --   2 large
Unsalted Butter        --   ½ cup
Ripe Bananas             --   3 Chiquita / 1 ½ cup mashed
Vanilla Extract         --   1 tsp
Chocolate Chips       --   ½ cup
Pecans                          --   ½ cup, Toasted and chopped

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients -- flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, lightly beaten eggs, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla.

Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combines.Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let it cool on a wire rack and then remove the bread from the pan.

Serve warm or a room temperature.

Recipe Courtesy: Joy of baking

Chocolate Flan Cake / Magic Cake

 

Ingredients (Serves 12 - 15):

12-cup capacity Bundt pan
Softened butter, to coat pan
Dulce de leche or caramel sauce --   ¼ Cup

For the cake:

Butter                        --    10 tbsp. at room temperature
Sugar                          --   1 cup
Egg                              --   1, at room temperature
All purpose flour  --   1 ¾ cups
Baking Powder       --   ¾ tsp
Baking Soda             --   ¾ tsp
Cocoa Powder        --   1/3 cup
Butter milk              --   1 ¼ cup

For the flan:

Evaporated milk    --   1 can (12 oz)
Condensed milk, sweetened --   1 can (14 oz)
Cream Cheese         --   4 oz, at room temprature
Eggs                            --   3
Vanilla Extract      --   1 tsp

For garnish:

Dulce de leche or caramel sauce --   ¼ Cup

Preparation:

Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F / 180°C.

Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup dulce de leche and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)

For the cake: Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated.

For the flan: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg powder and dulce de leche. Blend on high for 30 seconds.

Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan.

Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 to 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Cool completely then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Place bottom third of Bundt pan in bowl of hot water for a minute. Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp     tightly together, giggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and scrape any remaining dulce de leche from the pan onto the cake. Serve with extra caramel sauce drizzled over the top.

Recipe Courtesy: Swapna's Cuisine

Devils Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cocoa powder                --   ½ cup
Dark brown sugar         --   ½ cup
Boiling water                   --   1 cup
Unsalted butter             --   9 tbsp softened
Sugar                                  --   ¾ cup
All purpose flour          --   1 ½ cup
Baking powder              --   ½ tsp
Baking soda                    --   ½ tsp
Vanilla                             --   2 tsp
Eggs                                   --   2 large 

Frosting:

Water                                --   ½ cup
Dark brown sugar        --   2 tbsp
Unsalted butter            --    1 ½ stick
Dark chocolate             --   11 oz

Preparation of the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease two 9inch cake pans.

In a heat proof bowl, mix the cocoa powder and brown sugar together. Add the boiling water to it and stir to combine. Keep aside.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Keep aside.

In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy on high speed. Add the vanilla and beat well to mix.

Add one egg followed by a scoop of the flour mixture.Add the other egg and beat it in. Keep mixing and add the remaining flour mixture little by little.

Finally, stir in the cocoa mixture.

Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 30 minutes or until done.

Let the cake cool completely.

Frosting:

In a large saucepan on low heat, bring the water,sugar and butter to a soft boil. Add the chopped chocolate and let it sit a minute. Stir the frosting so that the chocolate melts from the heat. Let it cool completely.

The frosting will take sometime to thicken up. I will turn thick and glossy. As mentioned by the author, I too used the refrigerator to chill it.

Reciepe Courtesy: Ria

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Semisweet chocolate chips    --   1 cup
Unsalted butter                           --   ½ cup (8 tbsp)
Granulated sugar                        --   ¾ cup
Salt                                                   --    ¼ tsp
Espresso powder                        --   1 to 2 tsp, optional (1 tsp will enhance the chocolate flavor and 2 tsp will give you a mocha flavor)
Vanilla extract                            --   1 tsp
Eggs                                                 --   3 large
Unsweetened cocoa powder --   ½ cup
All purpose flour                        --   2 tbsp (optional)
Slivered Almonds                      --   a handful(optional)

Ganache:
Semisweet                                    --   1 cup
Heavy cream                              --   ½ cup

Caramel:
Brown sugar                                --   1/3 cup packed
Butter                                            --   3 tbsp
Milk                                                --   1 tbsp

Fresh whipped cream / Vanilla Icecream, for serving, optional

Preparation of the cake:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8" or 9" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter together until the butter is completely melted and the chips are partially melted. This can be done in a bowl in a microwave or in a saucepan on stove top. Stir until the chips are completely melted and smooth.

Add in the sugar, salt, espresso powder and vanilla. Add the eggs and beat briefly until smooth.I used a hand whisk and that helped me do a decent job. Add the cocoa powder and mix just until combined. Optionally, you can add 2 tbsp of all purpose flour, to give a better structure to the cake. Stir in the slivered almonds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. The top should have a thin crust.

Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then loosen the sides with a thin knife or spreader. Turn it out onto a serving plate and allow to cool completely.

Ganache:

Add the chocolate to a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream until it just starts to boil. Pour it over the chocolate and allow to sit for couple of minutes. Stir until smooth and chocolate is completely melted.Let it cool slightly, to a spreadable consistency.It starts to thicken as it cools. Pour over the cake. Use a spatula or back of the spoon to spread, if required.Let it set.

Caramel:

In a sauce pan, add brown sugar, butter and milk. Keep it over medium heat. Keep stirring and once it just starts to bubble or boil, remove from heat. Let it cool slightly, to a spreadable consistency.It starts to thicken as it cools. Pour over the cake. Use a spatula or back of the spoon to spread, if required.Let it set.

Serve at room temperature or chilled with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla icecream.

Recipe Courtesy: cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice