Tag Archives: chocolate

Be My Valentine {Brunch at Saks}

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17

Now that we’re all decked out in pink for Mackenzie’s pajama party, I think we need a little  snack. And what a better combination than these chocolate chip cookie dough truffles from Brunch at Saks? (Seriously, I think cookie dough was made for sleepovers!) I’m so happy to have gotten to know Annemarie recently. She is the sweetest, has superb taste, and has been blowing me away with all of her gluten-free baking ideas! Ok, now we’re ready for a fun girly night!

• • •

Hi there! Annemarie here from Brunch at Saks. I’m so excited to be a part of Cupcakes for Breakfast today. I’ve loved Nikki’s blog since the first day I came across it, so I’m thrilled to be here. With Valentine’s Day coming up, I thought these chocolate chip cookie dough truffles would be just the treat to share.  They’re rather easy to make, look really good dressed up with fun toppings like sprinkles, and best of all they’re egg-free, so the worry of eating them is gone (the guilt, however, remains!). I made these gluten free and dairy free as well, but sub any ingredients that work best for you.  Wishing you lots of love and happiness this Valentine’s Day!

Valentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at Saks

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

  • 1 C. butter or margarine, room temperature (allergy substitute: Earth Balance soy/dairy free butter)
  • 1/2 C. white or raw sugar
  • 3/4 C. brown sugar
  • 1/3 C. milk (allergy sub: coconut, soy, almond, or hemp milk)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 C. flour (I used a blend of white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 C. semisweet chocolate chips for dough (allergy sub: EnjoyLife chocolate chips)
  • 2 C. any chocolate for melting (chocolate chips, bars, wafers, etc)

Suggested toppings:

  • Sprinkles, shredded coconut, chopped nuts (peanuts, macadamia, pistachio, almonds, pecans- which ever you prefer)

Valentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at SaksValentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at SaksValentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at SaksValentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at Saks

Directions

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with an electric mixer) cream together butter and sugars on low speed until fluffy. Add in milk and vanilla extract. Slowly incorporate flour, salt, and baking soda until fully combined. Add in chocolate chips. (I used a wooden spoon during this last step).
  2. Cover dough and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.  Once dough is firm, form 1″ balls and place on a wax/parchment paper lined baking sheet. (I used a 1″ ice cream scooper at this step so all the truffles would be close in size. A tablespoon would work fine too). Place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
  3. Now the fun part begins! In a glass or microwave safe bowl, melt any dipping chocolate (or extra chocolate chips) according to package directions. Double broiler or microwave both work just the same for this step, which ever you prefer.
  4. Using a spoon, dip dough balls into chocolate and roll until fully covered. I found they turned out best if they’re nearly frozen prior to being dipped. It might be easiest to do these in batches, leaving some of the freezer until just before you’re going to dip them. Place dipped truffles on a lined baking sheet to cool.
  5. Add on your toppings if you want a little extra pizazz!

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at Saks

Valentine's Day chocolate chip cookie dough truffles Brunch at Saks

Recipe adapted from Love & Olive Oil via York Ave. All images by Brunch at Saks.

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Valentine’s Sweets and Treats

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I was going to stay out of the Valentine’s Day hoopla. That’s why I’m hosting this fantastic guest series. But, well, I couldn’t resist when I started thinking about some of the great sweets and treats that go along with this holiday.

If you’re planning on baking this weekend for your sweetheart, your girlfriends or your family, consider some of my favorite cupcakes below. Don’t forget the pink wrappers!

Valentine's Day sweets cupcakes chocolate

  • {one} “Box of Candies” cupcakes made by a very thoughtful ex-boyfriend
  • {two} Homemade Hostess cupcakes
  • {three} Raspberry cheesecake cupcakes
  • {four} Chocolate silk ganache (for any cupcake!)
However, since Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday, you might want to start your work day with a little love too. And for that, I recommend these blackberry crumb muffins. They’re a little nutty, packed with fruit, not too sweet, and of course, made with a whole lot of love.

blackberry muffins Valentine's Day hearts pink breakfast

Blackberry Crumb Muffins (Adapted from Williams Sonoma)

For the topping:

  • 1⁄3 cup sugar
  • 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1⁄3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

For the muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄4 tsp. salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin tins with paper cups. (I made about 17.)
  2. Mix all of the the topping ingredients together and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Incorporate the egg, melted butter and buttermilk, but do not over-mix. Gently fold in the blackberries.
  4. Spoon the batter in to prepared muffin cups, and sprinkle the topping evenly on each one.
  5. Bake until the muffins are golden, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
blackberry muffins Valentine's Day hearts pink breakfast

blackberry muffins Valentine's Day hearts pink breakfast

You might even get lucky like me and have a blackberry bake into a heart shape on top of one of the muffins!

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Cake Transformed

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Last week I made a four-layer chocolate cake with chocolate pudding filling and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup topping. Yeah, decadent. And awesome. Check it out…

chocolate cake pudding dessert reese's peanut butter cup layers

But then this happened…

chocolate cake pudding dessert reese's peanut butter cup layers mess

Yes, the top layer totally just slid off. See, I’m not all pretty pictures on this blog…you get to see my mistakes too. Usually something like this would get me so frustrated, but this time I just sat on my kitchen floor laughing. I really don’t know for all long I was there. I just couldn’t stop laughing. There’s really nothing else I could have done. Just pure cake comedy.

But once I collected myself, I was able to put it back together just a bit…

chocolate cake pudding dessert reese's peanut butter cup layers gold

And before it could fall again, I completely deconstructed it and turned the cake into a giant parfait. See, if something goes wrong with your cake, don’t fret. Just cube the cake, mix with the pudding, and layer with whipped cream. It still tastes just as great and decadent. And look how inventive you are!

chocolate cake pudding dessert reese's peanut butter cup layers parfait whipped cream

Oh, I also made a few matching cupcakes with leftover cake batter. Oh so cute!

chocolate cake pudding dessert reese's peanut butter cup layers cupcake whipped cream

So the point of this post? I had high hopes for how this cake would turn out and how it would photograph. And well, in that respect, it failed miserably. But I had a ton of fun. And really, that’s what it’s all about.

In the past few months I’ve had the chance (yes, lucky me!) to spend some quality time alone. It’s not always easy. It can be lonely. But I’ve come to enjoy it and embrace hanging out with my super fun self. This cake fiasco was one of those moments. When I was sitting in my kitchen laughing hysterically at this over-turned, ridiculous, over-the-top cake, I was truly having fun. And that’s a discovery worth celebrating with some chocolate pudding cake/parfait/cupcake.

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Cookie Pie

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4

chocolate chip peanut butter cookie pie

I’ve had many friends joke with me recently about how my food blog is well, lacking food. My apologies! I’m just having too much fun going out with these friends almost every night to be at home and bake. This is a good problem to have and I’m totally happy with it.

I had a little time this week squeeze in a baking project though, so I’ll end this week by sharing a recipe I started the week with: this super comforting chocolate chip peanut butter cookie pie. I made this simple dessert for some friends on Sunday night for the premiere of season two of Downton Abbey. It was the perfect thing to nosh on while getting lost in the romantic countryside setting and Crawley family drama.

chocolate chip peanut butter cookie pie

Cookie pie is a perfect comfort food. Like a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie, but with some crunchy peanut butter mixed in and served deep dish like a pie. Um, what’s not to love here? This is an easy one folks. So when the winds gust up and it’s pretty chilly outside, spend a few minutes to whip this one up. You won’t be disappointed.

cookie pie chocolate chip peanut butter

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Pie

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1/4 tsps salt
  • 6 Tbs butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined. Beat on high for a bit. Add the egg until fully combined
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing well until incorporated.
  5. Mix in the chocolate chips.
  6. Pour and press batter into a 9″ round pan (mine is silicone so I don’t need to butter/flour/line with paper – but if you need to, do so now).
  7. Bake for about 20-22 minutes. (You still want it to be a little soft in the middle)
  8. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release the cake. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
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Christmas Crack-Up Cookies

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crack ups chocolate cookie walnut dessert Christmas

On Monday I had two cookie swaps. One with my fantastic co-workers and the other with my oh-so-fun book (wine?) club. I guess I’ve been on a chocolate cookie kick recently and who really cause, because all I really wanted to make was my favorite childhood cookie: crack-ups. I’ve see a ton of recipes for this kind of cookie all over recently, but I wanted to get the original one that we used to make when we were kids. Every year when I was young, my mom would let us invite a few friends over after school one day and we would make and decorate our favorite Christmas cookies. These ones are particularly awesome because they’re super chocolate-y and fudgy like brownies. I asked my mom to email me the recipe and she sent a little story about the cookie making too…

crack ups chocolate cookie walnut dessert Christmas

Holidays are a busy time for working moms (now that’s an understatment). But one holiday activity was sacred: the cookie baking day. We cleared the kitchen and dining room tables  of gift making, wrapping, and holiday cards. The dining room table was covered in brown paper ready for cooling, while the kitchen table became cookie central. With holiday songs playing, hands washed and aprons on we began the cookie dance. The dough was ready and waiting, most made the night before. Our favorite cookie bible was small, 32 Fabulous Cookies by Marie Bianco. The cookies were simple: crack-ups, Swedish tea cookies and surprise kisses were always favorites (great for little hands to roll). Sweet wobbly balls of varying size orbs lined the table waiting for their powered sugar coating. My role was to keep the small band of pastry chefs working while I monitored the oven trying not to burn their good work. Once I turned off the oven, I could now sit and enjoy their company. This was the real reason for Christmas…being together, sharing memories and shaping dreams…maybe someday one would become a food blogger with her own sweet thoughts?

crack ups chocolate cookie walnut dessert Christmas

Aw, thanks mom. Now, please go make these cookies and share them with some people you love. I promise they’ll bring much joy to your holiday table.

Glenmary’s Chocolate Crack-Ups (from above book)

Yield: 5 dozen

Time: 15 minutes prep, 3-4 hrs chilling, 8-10 minutes baking

  • • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon butter
  • •  6 Tablespoons cocoa
  • • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • • 2 eggs
  • • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • • 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
  • • Confectioner’s sugar
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa; blend well, then cool. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the cocoa mixture….then add the walnuts. Chill for at least 3 hours.
  4. Take 1 teaspoon of dough and shape it into a ball … Use the rest of the dough to make the remaining balls. Roll balls in confectioners’ sugar….then place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven as soon as they are set; the centers should be moist, soft and chewy like a brownie. Cool.
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