Nutella Hot Chocolate

I am a hot chocolate fiend. However I have started to notice that in my old age that hot chocolate keeps me up at night if I drink it too late in the afternoon. So instead of downing the Swiss Miss (ah the days of my youth!....or grad school) I now try to stick to yummy hot chocolate drinks and special occasions. This delicious Hazelnut Hot Chocolate fits the bill! It's easy and fancy enough for a special occasion.

Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

(From Martha Stewart Living)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups milk

1/3 cup hazelnut spread (I like Nutella)

Directions:

1. Combine the milk and Nutella in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking until smooth. Divide between two cups and serve with whipped cream!

Spiked Hot Chocolate Snow Day

This hot chocolate recipe was a delicious change up from the traditional Bailey's or Kahula spiking. The orange and cinnamon made it taste like one of those chocolate oranges. It was just what we needed for our little snowy adventure!

 The secret is to start with a good base. You could use water and a powder mix but I brought out the big guns for our first major snow of the season: milk and chocolate shavings.

Hot Chocolate with Orange Liqueur and Cinnamon

(Pinterest find!)

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons chocolate shavings
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
Cinnamon for sprinkling
Whipped cream
Directions:
1. In a small pot bring the milk and cinnamon stick to a simmer.
2. Whisk in the chocolate shavings.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in orange liqueur.
4. Top with whipped cream and a generous shake of cinnamon.
5. Go play in the snow!

Time to cross off some Winter Bucket List items!

The park was empty and snow-quiet. Only our footprints decorated the pathways.

 I couldn't resist the 1st snow angel of the season!

 These nifty little seed pods looked like snow covered ornaments.

 Back in the apartment, keep the snow coming!

My fingers are crossed for a snow day.

Ginger-Spice Cookies

Evidently all I need is a weekend at home with no social obligations and a hurricane to get my kitchen/blogging groove back! I wasn't a huge fan of these cookies. They are good but I don't think I like the chocolate-ginger combination.  I was drawn to this recipe because of the spices! I've never seen cookies with fresh ginger in them. Mr. Lawyer was intrigued as well and requested this recipe when I changed my mind and was leaning towards my brown sugar blueberry cookies. Good thing he likes them because he's getting them all! Give these bad boys a try if you're adventurous and think you might like the chocolate-ginger combination....I will be sticking to my traditional gingersnap cookies.

Chewy Chocolate Ginger-Spice Cookies

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh, grated ginger
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground, dried ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Sugar for rolling
Directions:
1. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter with the brown sugar until creamy and combined well. Add the fresh ginger, molasses, and vanilla, mix to combine. 

2. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa, ground ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and salt. 

3.  Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and pulse until just combined. 

4. Fold in chopped chocolate. Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or until very firm.
5. Preheat oven to 325*F and line baking sheets. Scoop dough into rounds and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheets. Flatten cookies before baking for 15-18 minutes. 

Fall! and drinks of my childhood.

Fall is (mostly) here! I am so excited. Chilly in the morning, chilly in the evening, nice and toasty during the day....it's heaven! I'm sitting here in one of my beloved Glimmerglass Triathlon sweatshirts, Grandma Nancy's afghan, and a mug of spiked white hot chocolate.

Look at these bad boys ready to go! Eight sweatshirts/hoodies, three lighter zip ups, sweaters....Bring it on! We'll see if I can break last year's record of not turning on the heat till mid-december

Right, so hot chocolate. I use to get really bad sore throats in middle/high school. Sometimes I would wake up at 2 in the morning and there was no way I was getting back to sleep. My mom would fix me up some special white hot chocolate to soothe my throat. Years later I would find out that she was spiking it with butterscotch schnapps! Gold Star in parenting my dear Mother Unit. Gold Star. I highly recommend it for chilly fall nights or when your children won't go back to bed.

Spiked White Hot Chocolate

(from the Mother Unit)

Ingredients:

1 package of white hot chocolate (mom always used Hershey's)

1 mug full of hot water

1 shot of butterscotch schnapps, preferably from a sweet mason jar like mine

Directions:

1. Mix it all together and enjoy!

Cupcakes!

Last Friday was the interns last day so of course they requested cupcakes! I made a batch of my yummy Vanilla Bean Cupcakes for the adults and tried a new chocolate one for the kids. They were very fudge-like but delicious. One kid thought they were too chocolatey and I might agree but they were still delicious! You can tell from the picture that they did collapse a little bit which made them a tad dense compared to the nice and fluffy vanilla ones. No frosting because I frosted them the next day at school.

Chocolate Cupcakes

(from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread with Easy White Icing using a table knife or small offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Breakfast Update

I'm still loving the banana smoothie/shake breakfast thing and so is the boy! My latest combination is chocolate banana: 1 cup milk, 1 frozen banana, and 1 scoop chocolate Instant Breakfast/Slim-Fast. Nice and chocolately and you get an extra boost of vitamins.

Chocolate Fix

Need a chocolate fix? These cookies are for you! Nice crackled outside, gooey inside, and rolled in powdered sugar for good measure. I was told that they were "brownie cookies" and "fudge cookies". The only issue I had was the chilling time: three hours?! Please. I cut it in half because it was late and Miss Sandy was here. Priorities. 

Chocolate Crackled Cookies

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 stick all-vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
1. Beat brown sugar, shortening and vanilla in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill 3 hours.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar to coat completely. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Minty Fresh!

For Meatless Monday we had veggie stir fry with brown garlic sauce from the freezer. This batch was better than the first batch I made. I simmered it at a lower temperature for longer amount of time and it defrosted better than when I defrosted the General Tso's sauce (which I just microwaved and threw in the wok). We need to eat lots of veggies to make up for all the food we ate this weekend (too much company and parties!). Plus we had these bad boys: delicious chocolate mint brownies which I like to call Andes Candies Bars. I think this is the third or fourth time I've made these. The brownie is nice and fudgie and the mint is perfect. The only thing I would change is how you melt the chocolate. If you have the time I would use a double boiler to melt it, it looks  prettier and gets more of a shine. This is the first time I melted it in the microwave and it wasn't pretty.

Andes Candies Bars

(adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
Bottom layer:
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute (or switch out for more eggs)
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
Cooking spray
Mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare bottom layer combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.
4. To prepare the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.

Birthday Cake!

Melissa has made this cake for my birthday every year since I was 16. I'm madly in love with it and make everyone eat it. It's a heavenly combination of chocolate and mint and fudgie-ness. It's so famous that even Sandy made it in Tonga. So in honor of Brad's birthday we have cake! And for obvious reasons the Boston Red Sox logo could not be as awesome as our Phillies Cake.

Jenni's Chocolate Mint Torte Birthday Cake

(from the Kitchen of Melissa)

Ingredients:

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, for dusting
Directions:
1. Set a roasting pan on lowest rack. Fill pan with water. Pre-heat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 by 4 1/2 loaf pan with cooking spray. Cut parchment paper large enough to cover bottom and hang over sides of pan. Coat again with cooking spray.
2. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted. Let cool slightly.
3. Put heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until soft peaks form. 1 to 2 min.
4. Put eggs and sugar in the clean bowl and wisk until triple in volume. Gently fold half of chocolate mixture into egg mixture until almost incorparated, fold in remaining chocolate. Fold in whipped cream and peppermint.
5. Reduce oven temp to 325. Pour batter into loaf pan. Set pan in roasting pan. Bake until it looses it's sheen and appears set when jiggled. About 25 - 30 min.
6. Carefully transfer roasting pan from water bath.; let cool.
7. Pulling on parchment paper, remove torte from pan and transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 min. Using a spatula gently loosen torte from parchment paper and invert onto a serving platter. Lightly dust with cocoa powder.

Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Directions:
In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

From the Bakery of Jenni and Amanda!

I must start this post with two disclaimers:

1. Amanda and I are awesome.

2. I've never been a huge traditional cake fan which is why the Mother Unit always made me cheesecakes for my birthday and Melissa always made me flour-less chocolate tortes.

That being said this was a pretty good cake recipe and the frosting was banging. I also picked up a cake decorating kit for 6.99 at HomeGoods which was the best decision ever.  Even if I never touch it again the amusement it provided for us last night was well worth 7 bucks. Oh, third disclaimer.

3. Amanda and I have never really decorated a cake before...but we do watch Food Network!

Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

(From the Mother Unit who, given the name, got it from Hershey)

Ingredients: 
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 batch "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)
Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be super thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost .
"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

To see how our amazing cake came to be, follow the link for a photo story!

Girl Scout Cookies!

Every year G-Babe's dad would load us up with Girl Scout Cookies in college. Then it was Nyk's dad in grad school. Now I'm a broke big kid but I was a Girl Scout and they taught me to be resourceful and thrifty so now I make my own Girl Scout Cookies! Behold the glorious mess of Jenni the Kitchen Hurricane and her homemade Girl Scout Cookies!

I decided to go with two of my top three cookies (Caramel deLites, Thin Mints, and Peanut Butter Patties. Side note: Samoas and Tagalongs for all you lame people). The deLites and Patties use the same cookie dough so it seemed like the easiest way to have variety in my cookie stash. I was worried about the caramel as I have never made it before but it came out well and was easy to clean up (much to my surprise). However, the darn chocolate was a disastrous mess! It got all over including but not limited to: my wine glass, inside the fridge, all cabinet knobs, my camera and the bottom of my computer mouse. Surprising enough there was very little of it on my apron. Shocker I know since I am a messy messy hurricane in the kitchen.
The result: Some very yummy cookies that are only moderately pretty (as in the Jenni M.O.) The Caramel deLites were great (and larger then those puny things they sell nowadays!). I think the Peanut Butter cookies need a little tweaking but Mr. Lawyer said they were all fine and wonderful. I would double the peanut butter filling and add a bit more in addition to switching the chocolate topping. I used the semi-sweet chips it called for but it is very sweet and overpowering. There's just so much of it! Maybe next time I'll use milk chocolate or a mix or just drizzle the chocolate over it instead of dunking it.
Also: Parchment Paper is your best friend.

Homemade Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties

(Recipe from the Mother Unit)

Cookie Dough Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup superfine sugar (or granulated)

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour


Directions:
1. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add in egg and beat well. Add in vanilla. Beat until smooth. With mixer on low, add in salt and flour. Mix until completely incorporated and dough is uniform. Pull dough together and shape into a cylinder with a diameter of about 2 1/2 inches. Wrap in parchment paper and freeze for at least 25 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice dough into 1/8 inch disks and place on baking sheets, about an inch apart. For deLites use a tiny circle shaped cookie cutter or a large round cake decorating tip to cut a hole in the center of each disk.  (I used my cupcake corer to make the holes for the deLites and it was glorious!) for patties just leave the circle along. Refrigerate for an additional 10 minutes. Bake for 8 minutes, or until crisp. Let cool completely.

Cooling Cookies!

Caramel deLite toppings:

Dipping Caramel

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
12 ounces of chocolate chips 

Dipping Caramel:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons corn syrup

6 tablespoons water
pinch of salt

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Caramel Directions:
1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan with high sides, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Whisk until combined, and set over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan every now and then to help distribute the heat. Use can use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush the sugar crystals down the sides of the saucepan. When the sugar dissolves completely, raise the heat to medium. When it comes to a boil, watch very carefully for the bubbles to become more viscous (this means that the water has evaporated and that it is ready to go through the candy stages). As it is bubbling away, you want it to turn a deep amber color. When it does, remove the heat and, working quickly, use the spoon to scoop up a small amount of the candy and drop it into the small glass of water. If the blob turns hard like lollipop, then it is ready. If the blob is still soft, put the pan back on the heat. Keep testing until the candy is hard. Remove from heat.
2. Whisk in butter, 6 tablespoons of cream, and vanilla (Careful here, as the mixture should bubble violently for about 10 seconds). If the caramel isn’t smooth right away, return the pan to low heat and whisk until smooth.

Making the Caramel and Melted Chocolate

Caramel deLite Directions:

1. Add coconut into the caramel. Warm the caramel in the microwave for about 10 seconds if necessary. Take cooled cookies and gently dip them completely in the caramel. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze until set, about 5 minutes.
2. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until fully melted (or in a ghetto double boiler like a real cookie chef!). Place the caramel coated cookies in the chocolate. Use a fork to pull them out of the chocolate and place them on a parchment line cookie sheet. Use the chocolate still on the fork to drizzle stripes over the top of the cookies. Refrigerate until set. 

Gooey Caramel!

Peanut Butter Patty Toppings:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Patty Directions:
1. Mix together peanut butter and powdered sugar. Form into small disks and press onto cookies. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 second intervals, and mix well after each interval. Coat cookies completely in chocolate and lift out with a fork. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and let set, or freeze to speed up the process.

Peanut Butter!

The Final Product!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I started my morning by making surprise Almond Valentine Cookies. This recipe is also known as Candy Cane Cookies but I just shaped mine into hearts instead of candy canes. I was also trying out an almond emulsion instead of extract. Emulsions are often used by professional bakers for a more in your face flavor. They are alcohol free so the flavor doesn't bake off when it's heated. The cookies did come out pretty almond-y!

Almond Valentine Cookies

(Joy of Baking)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsaltedbutter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (or almond emulsion!)
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the salt.
2. In a second bowl beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.
3. Remove half of the dough from the mixing bowl. To the remaining half add the red food coloring and beat on low speed until well blended.
4. Take a walnut sized piece of red dough and a walnut sized piece of white dough. Separately, roll each color on a lightly floured surface, into a 4-5 inch long rope. Place the two ropes side by side, gently press together, and twist the two ropes to form a spiral. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Shape each cookie into a cane shape or a heart!
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake 8-10 minutes.

Almond cookies are a nice alternative to your overly sweet cookie. However, this dough is a pain in the butt to work with and you must have patience when twisting the shapes as it is prone to cracking. The cookies are also very fragile when baked so stick to smaller shapes, not giant hearts that break when you carry them all the way down to city hall.

I also made some chocolate covered strawberries! I had some leftover bittersweet chocolate from my birthday Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes so I heated it up, dipped in my strawberries and boom! I butchered up some milk chocolate with white chocolate Lindt truffles in order to get some white chocolate to decorate them with. Do you know how hard it is to scoop out the insides of a Lindt truffle? Outrageous. I combined these luscious berries with some Bacon Wrapped Scallops to created a platter 'o love and romance.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

(just winging it)

Ingredients:
Strawberries
Dark Chocolate
White Chocolate
Directions:
1. Heat chocolate (I used my ghetto double boiler system consisting of a small frying pan over a pot), once melted dip your strawberries in, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
2. Let them cool a bit while you heat up your white chocolate. Drizzle your white chocolate over your strawberries.
3. Place in the fridge until time to serve.

And because Mr. Lawyer deserves some bonus points he shall be a special kitchen guest! He surprised me with a very yummy dinner of baked salmon (coated with butter, pepper, smoked danish salt and baked at 400 for 15 minutes), my most favorite asparagus (coated in olive oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper, garlic and baked at 350 until done), and some rice pilaf (from a box). Most impressive and yummy! All washed down with some Catawba wine from Torrey Ridge. (Go NY wine!)

Not food but I love my flowers!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Last week was my birthday and there was a lot of celebrating and eating out. This week I was sick and started work so there was chinese food and Mr. Lawyer cooking. So there has been a lack of experimenting in the kitchen. However, for my birthday I did make some delicious Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, or if you're being politically correct Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes with Baileys Buttercream Frosting. But since it's named after the drink, I'm sticking with the original name. These cupcakes were amazing but really rich. I have a huge sweet tooth but could only eat one at a time. The Baileys Buttercream Frosting is an amazing gift to mankind! Sadly, it looses it's flavor after a day so if you make the cupcakes ahead of time, don't make the frosting until right before your gathering. My Pancake Pen was extremely useful and amazing at filling the cupcake pan since I always make a mess and can never keep them even.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes!

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes Ingredients:
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Chocolate Whiskey Ganache Filling Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

Baileys Buttercream Frosting:
3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperate)
3 to 4 tablespoons Baileys

Cupcake Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.


Ganache Filling Directions:

1. Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth.  

2. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Assembly Required!:

1. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. Meanwhile, using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. (Or your sweet, sweet cupcake corer!) 

2. Put the ganache into a piping bag (or a baggie with the tip cut off) with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Baileys Buttercream Frosting Directions:

1. Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

2. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar.

3. Frost your cookies!

YUM!

Coooooookies!

This past Sunday we got together with Mr. Lawyer's high school crew to watch the Eagles lose. Boooooo. Since I really have no clue as to what's going on with football my contribution was cookies! I was a little overzealous with the nut grinder attachment to our new blender (it was SO much fun!) so instead of coarsely crushed peppermints we got more of a peppermint powder but you know what? It was fine! Who wants a piece of chewy peppermint candy when you're munching on a nice soft cookie?

Double Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch Cookies

(Bon Appétit, December 2010)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (not to exceed 61% cacao; 15 to 16 ounces)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large eggs
4 candy canes or 16 hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 2 cups chocolate chips in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth (or use a double boiler). Measure 2/3 cup melted chocolate; transfer to a small bowl and reserve for drizzling.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and extracts, beat until smooth. Add eggs, beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl. Add dry ingredients, beat until just blended. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Chill dough for 20 - 30 minutes if too warm to form into balls. Measure 1 level tablespoonful dough and roll between palms to form a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat, spacing cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.
3. Bake until cookies are cracked on top, 8 to 9 minutes. Cookies should remain moist. Do not over bake. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely.
3. Finish cookies by rewarming reserved 2/3 cup chocolate in microwave or over saucepan of simmering water. Drizzle chocolate over cookies using a fork. Sprinkle crushed peppermints on each cookie. Chill until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes. 

Yummmmm! They were a hit and quite wonderful for any chocolate mint fiend. They reminded me of my ever famous birthday cake which I'm sure will be making an appearance soon!