Hot Fudge! Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Hot Fudge

You know what goes great with every scoop of ice cream?  A huge dollop of homemade hot fudge.  I like to think of myself as a pro when it comes to ice cream.  I know ice cream is awesome by itself but when paired with toppings of all kind it just gets better.  So tonight I'm going to have me a nice big bowl of ice cream with dark chocolate peanut butter hot fudge, oh yeah you betta believe it peanut butter hot fudge.  This will for sure help ease the pain of tomorrow, cause I'm already prepared for a hell of a day at work, the life of an AF paralegal is diffidently not a boring job.  

Now hot fudge is pretty spectacular, but when I decided to raid my pantry and found reeses peanut butter chips and incorporate them into the mix it totally blew my mind. Who doesn't like chocolate and peanut butter together, they wear meant to be.  This fudge recipe is a keeper in our fridge, I try to come up with ideas to use this sauce on anything and everything...cookies done, fruit dip yes! mixed into coffee sure why not. 

 By the way I wont judge if you want to eat this hot fudge by the spoonful cause secretly if there is no ice cream around who's to say you can't eat this straight from the jar..I do :)

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Hot Fudge
Adapted from Averie Cooks

Yields about 16 ounces

Ingredients

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder (I used Hersey's special Dark)
pinch of salt
4 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate
1/3 cup reeses peanut butter chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Using a medium heavy sauce pan over medium heat bring together the cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder and half of the dark chocolate to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and all the ingredients are combined, Reduce the heat and continue cooking at a low boil for 5 minutes, keep stirring with your wooden spoon to avoid burning the chocolate.

2. Remove from heat and add the butter and the rest of the dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, vanilla and salt. Stir until smooth. Let cool for a couple of minutes and drizzle over ice cream.

3.  This keeps very well in the fridge with a tight fitting lid for a few weeks, but will harden, just stick in the microwave for 20 second intervals until melted again. Warning, super addicting and easy to eat by the spoonful.

Baked Chocolate Chip Donuts

The inspiration for these donuts became an idea when I was so unjustly deprived of donuts on a Sunday morning......Flashback sequence now......We woke up early Sunday morning because we went to bed around 9pm on a saturday (what can I say we are a pretty boring couple sometimes). Anyways since we went to bed early last night and woke up early in the morning we thought we would go and catcht a matinee playing at the Japanese mall, figured we could buy some coffee inside the mall and go to Mister Donut and sneak them into the theater for our breakfast.  As we arrive at the mall everything was closed until 9am (expect the movie),  so sad to say I never got to sneak some donuts into the movie and since I had to make a dessert for a bake sale going on Monday I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and make some donuts for my contribution and one for myself (birthday gift to me :) 

Chocolate Chip Baked Donuts
Adapted from Food.com 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter + 2 tablespoons, at room temp
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 cup your favorite chocolate chips

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl combined your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder and whisk together, set aside.
- In a electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 4 minutes.
- Add in your eggs one at a time until completely combined and add your vanilla extract.
- Mix in your dry ingredients with the milk in alternate batches starting with flour and ending with milk, the dough will start to become thick and sticky.
- Once the batter is fully combined, fold in your chocolate chips.
- Using a pipping bag fill it with your batter and cut a large enough hole at the end to let chocolate chips easily pass through, fill each individual donut mold about 3/4 full and bake for 15-16 minutes.
- Remove from oven and using a butter knife go around the edges of the donut to help you lift it gently out of the pan and cool on a wire rack.




Dark Chocolate Glaze

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips like Ghiraradeli
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons hot water


Directions

- In a medium bowl, melt your butter and chocolate chips together in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar, the mixture will get really thick to help thin it out add 2 tablespoons hot water and whisk until the glaze becomes smooth.  If still having trouble place it in the microwave for another 15 seconds and whisk until smooth.
- Dip your donuts in and place on a wire rack, keep whisking the glaze together after each dip so the donut will always get a nice smooth consistency on top.

Triple Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Chocolate lovers unite! this cookie will satisfy any chocolate lovers craving. These cookies are chewy, soft, chocolaty and delicious. The marshmallow in the middle gives it that extra gooey component. 

I will admit the frist couple of batches were trail and error, I thought that I would just add the marshmallows to the batter and let them bake....big mistake not only did it create a huge mess  but the marshmallows that oozed out of the cookie started to burn and turned hard and crunchy. So on the third batch i decided to take all the marshmallows out of the batter, by hand :/  and once the baked cookies came out of the oven I pushed a marshmallow into the middle and SUCCESS!  The marshmallow slowly melted into the middle of the cookie and I finally had my triple chocolate marshmallow cookie. 

Triple Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Oishii Treat Original
Yields: 30 cookies

1 cup butter at room temp
2/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups dark chocolate chips (one 8 oz bag)
1 cup marshmallows (you can use regular small marshmallows if you dont have chocolate ones and add as many to the middle of the cookie as you like, I added about 2 marshmallows in the middle of each hot cookie)

Directions

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Cream together the butter and sugars until full incorporated  add in your eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add in the cocoa mixture, baking soda and salt once fully combined add in the flour and mix until fully incorporated
- Hand mix in your chocolate chips.
- Roll a 1 inch ball of cookie dough and place on a cookie sheet 1 inch apart from the other.
- Bake for 10 minutes, once you remove the cookies from the oven push a marshmallow into the middle of the cookie and place on a wire rack to cool.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Its that time again for a weekend dessert!  I decided for quick and easy this Sunday. Since we're trying a gluten free experiment right now I searched the great abyss know as the internet and found a great recipe for a cake that required no flour... what could be easier than that. A cake made strictly out of eggs, butter, sugar and chocolate.  I literally whipped up the batter in less than 10 minutes and popped it in the oven.
WARNING!! This cake is very decadent and might leave you in a chocolate comatose state. or A.K.A chocolate wasted! Eat at your own risk.

Well I better start baking and cooking myself into a frenzy this week to prepare the hubby for my departure to paralegal school at Maxwell AFB for the next 7 weeks.  I need to stock up on some homemade hummus and soup for the hubby before I go or he might be living off fried eggs (only thing he cooks) and frozen meals.  poor guy

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Realsimple.com 

Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients for the Cake
1 Cup Unsalted Butter or two sticks
1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
8 ounces Bittersweet Dark Chocolate
5 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
Ingredients for the Whipped Cream
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Light Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

Directions for the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using a 9 inch springfoam pan, spray the bottom and sides of the pan with cooking spray,
 dust with cocoa powder. (to help prevent cake from sticking to the pan)
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and heavy cream on medium low heat, once the butter is melted add your chocolate and stir until melted and remove from heat.
In a medium size bowl, beat your eggs, sugar and cocoa powder together and whisk in your melted chocolate.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 1 hour.
Directions for the Whipped Cream
In a electric mixer beat together the whipping cream, sour cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form, about 3-5 mintues, dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with whip cream.

Orange Infused Cupcake w/ a Orange Mascarpone Cream Filling and Dark Chocolate Buttercream

Hello cupcake where have you've been all my life! I missed out last week on making a weekend dessert due to the sickness.  But I made it all up this weekend with this amazing cupcake.  I wasn't expecting it to really wow me, the flavor combination sounding pleasing. But after taking my first bite  I knew I would be making this again.
Some of the cupcakes I've made before were a little on the sugary sweet side for me so this time I made sure to reduce the sugar in the cupcake recipe and substitute the butter with coconut oil and I was so happy I did. Now the cupcake part was pretty delish but the ingredient that puts this cupcake over the top is the Orange mascarpone cream filling, that with the dark chocolate buttercream was just heaven. I'm contemplating not sharing them with my co-workers there're just that good lol.

Orange Infused Cupcake w/ a Orange Mascarpone Cream Filling and Dark Chocolate Buttercream
Flavor combo by Oishii Treats


Orange Cupcake
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication 2012
Bake Time 16 Minutes

Ingredients
3/4 Cup Coconut Oil
3 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 Cups Sugar (original calls for 1 3/4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons Orange extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 1/4 Cups Almond Milk

Directions
-Preheat your oven for 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with your paper cups
-Combine your flour, salt and baking powder together in a medium bowl and set aside
-In a large bowl whisk together your coconut oil and sugar once combined add your eggs in one at a time until completely mixed.
-Add your orange extract and orange zest to the mixture and whisk
-Alternately add your flour mixture and almond milk to the batter, whisking after each addition.  just until combine (the less you mix the batter the more moist and fluffy the cupcakes will turn out)
-Fill your paper liners till 3/4 full and bake for 16 minutes, immediately remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Orange Mascarpone Cream Filling
Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients
1/4 Cup Mascarpone cheese (room temp)
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed Orange juice (i used simply oj juice)
1/2 Cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Orange zest

Directions 
-In a electric mixer beat together the mascarpone cheese and oj until smooth
-Add your whipping cream, powdered sugar and orange zest and mix until soft peaks form about 1-2 minutes. Keep in the fridge until your ready to use.
- Make a hole in the middle of your cupcakes. I used a pointed frosting tip to make a hole in the top of the cupcake and used a small 1/2 teaspoon to scoop out some of the cake from the middle.
- Fill a piping bag with your cream filling and pipe into the hole.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Martha Stewart 

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp)
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 oz Cream Cheese (room temp)
3.5 oz dark cocoa bar (melted)
1 Tablespoon Almond milk

Directions
-In a electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth
- Add your vanilla extract and powdered sugar mix until combined.
- Add your melted (cooled) dark chocolate and mix, use a spatula to help scrap the sides of the bowl.
- If the frosting is very thick use 1 tablespoon almond milk to help thin out the frosting.
- Fill a pipping bag and pipe buttercream onto your cupcakes.

Frozen Banana S'mores

Why is it when you have to work all through the weekend the weather is gorgeous, the sky is crystal blue and your just itching to play hooky from work (ha can't do that in the military its called AWOL).  All your hoping for is when the next weekend rolls around the weather is just as gorgeous.  Um yeah finally Saturday came and so did the grey sky with rain showers through out the weekend.

Unfortunately it was the last weekend for Cherry Blossom viewing at Hirosaki Castle also called Golden Week in Japan, because of the constant rain showers we decided to forgo the 2 1/2 hour drive and just stick near base and take some photos around Misawa AFB.  At least the base has hundreds of cherry blossom trees planted on every sidewalk and park.

                                                                                                 

The dreary weather can't stop me from making my weekend dessert today. I needed something to brighten up my weekend and Chocolate frozen bananas seemed perfect, simple and guilt free. Plus its so easy to be creative with toppings I had so many different ideas. Coconut, almonds, sprinkles etc.  But the little light bulb went off in my head and I thought ooh why not do a S'mores inspired banana. Dark chocolate, graham crackers, and melted marshmallow....Yes please!

What toppings would you use?


Frozen Banana S'mores
By Oishii Treats

Utensils
8 Wooden Skewers (shorten to 5-6 inches)
1 Cookie Sheet
Wax paper
Plastic zip lock bag
1 Large Container

Ingredients 
4 Large Ripe Bananas (cut in half)
3 Cups Dark chocolate chips
1 Teaspoon Coconut oil (to thin out chocolate)
Graham crackers (about 12 crackers or one package from the box, crushed and crumbled)
1 Jar of Marshmallow Fluff

 Next take your bananas that were cut in half and skewer each one with a wooden dowel. Place on your cookie sheet lined with wax paper and freeze for 1 hour. This will help the stick adhere to the banana, so when the time comes to add chocolate and toppings the added weight won't cause the stick to slide out.

Next take your chocolate and melt in a medium glass bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.  stir every 30 seconds to keep from burning the chocolate. Add the coconut oil and blend well.

Remove your bananas from the freezer and set up your assembly line.  Take your banana and dip into the chocolate, use your spatula to help cover the banana completely. Remove excess chocolate lightly with your spatula and immediately dip into your crumbled graham crackers. Times like this I wish I had my nephew here to help dip the bananas in the toppings he would have so much fun with it.

Set on your cookie sheet and repeat with the rest of your bananas.

After all your bananas have been dipped in chocolate and graham crackers.  Heat your marshmallow fluff in the microwave for 30 seconds and add to a zip lock bag.  

Cut a tiny hole in the corner and holding one end of your banana on a stick, pipe the warm marshmallow fluff onto your chocolate covered bananas. Twirl the stick the same time your pipping to create a swirl all down the banana. Set back down onto your cookie sheet and put back in the freezer for 4 more hours.

Honestly my hubby couldn't wait the whole 4 hours, about 2 hours later he was asking for a banana and I gave in.  The banana wasn't completely frozen yet but still amazing! Once your bananas are frozen move them to a air tight container to keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.