Peppermint Pretzel Marshmallow Fudge

I'm sure you already know that I'm a chocoholic. The richer the chocolate, the better. But until now, I've never made fudge...in fact, I rarely get the chance to eat it! *gasp*
When I see fudge in shops—you know, those giant blocks of homemade fudge in all kinds of flavors—my eyes get wide and I hang around, hoping for a sample.
When I see fudge at parties, I go straight for it, ignoring any casualties which may be an effect of my extreme focus on that fudge.

But now I have made my very own, very chocolatey, very Christmasy fudge. It's good. So good that I cut it into unusually small pieces so that I can eat two (or more) pieces with less guilt.

This fudge is perfect for Christmas. And yes, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "Maddie—isn't Christmas over?"

Yes, yes it is. But you see, I made this fudge on Christmas Eve. Then I had to wait all the way until Christmas Day to take pictures and eat it (torture), and since then, I haven't had time to write about it. I've had cats to feed, games to play, babies to babysit...you get the picture.
But so what? It's still December, so I can still justify eating and blogging about this oh-so-yummy fudge. Plus—peppermint is always a good thing, right? Yes? Then make this fudge!

As you can probably tell from the pictures and the name (yes, I know it's a bit of a mouthful, but no ingredient here should be understated), this fudge has peppermint, pretzels, and marshmallows in it.
The peppermint pieces are what make this fudge perfect for Christmas. The sweet little chunks pair perfectly with the chocolate, complimenting the chocolate's richness with its bright flavor—the two were made to be together.
The pretzels bring a crunchiness that balances out the smoothness of the chocolate and the ooey-gooeyness of the marshmallows, and a saltiness that calms the intense burst of sugar from (again) the marshmallows and the chocolate.
The marshmallows take this fudge over the top. Not only are they sprinkled throughout the fudge, but they are METLED INTO IT. So yeah, the marshmallows make the fudge extra sweet and extra good, reminding me of hot chocolate (another winter thing that I am in love with); marshmallows are the essential gooey factor.

One more thing—I think that you will be happy to know that there is not one, but two peppermint-pretzel-marshmallow layers. Yum.


Peppermint Pretzel Marshmallow Fudge
Recipe from: http://joythebaker.com/2014/12/peppermint-pretzel-marshmallow-fudge/

Homemade Thin Mints

So, yesterday I was making dinner and stepped on a turtle.

Wait, let me rewind.

We have this adorable little triscuit-sized turtle (named Triscuit, hehe) which swims around in a fancy-shmancy bowl that we keep outside, away from the saber toothed-cat that likes to play with the turtle. But Sunday night, the turtle was inside after a bowl cleaning.

We went to bed, forgetting about Triscuit, and in the morning, realized our grave mistake.

Sometime during the night, monster-cat Mao flipped Triscuit out of his peaceful home and onto the floor, and we went crazy trying to find him before work. Alas, he was lost in the (relative) vastness of our apartment.
Fast forward to when I returned home and started making dinner, listening to my siblings trying to find Triscuit. "Tristcuit, you get back here right now!" my sister declared.
As if by magic, a few seconds later, my piggy toe landed on something hard and unusual. My subconsciousness knew what it was, and as I looked down, I shrieked. Triscuit.

So, the lost was found, but my piggy toe is still a little freaked out. Look, don't touch, is my policy when it comes to turtles.

Which leads me to what else is triscuit-sized but doesn't freak me out. Thin mints! The wonderful chocolate-mint girl scout cookie that is always there for you. Actually...no they're not. They're only sold at rare, magical times throughout the year. BUT, they can always be there for you if you know this recipe! 'Cause it's pretty dang close to the real thing--in fact, better.

So apparently it's a thing to keep thin mints in your freezer. I have never tried it, but I have tried keeping these homemade thin mints in the fridge, and they were fantastic--so crisp and minty, with an indulgent coat of chocolate. So I definitely suggest cooling them. Definitely.

A few notes about the recipe before you get baking. I didn't include the original recipe here because Sally's post is so comprehensive. She's amazing, yo. But, here are a few things that I learned while making them.
You CAN use chocolate chips instead of bars of semi-sweet chocolate. They don't melt as well, but just mix them often while melting, and do not burn them. Trust me, not pretty.
I used a fork to dip my cookies into the chocolate, as suggested. However, the tapping part did not go so well since the chocolate chips melted into a pretty thick liquid. What did work was after dipping a cookie, I smoothed the chocolate over the cookie with my finger while balancing the cookie on a fork. Messy, but they ended up with a rustic charm.
As I finished chocolate coating a few cookies, I popped them into the freezer for a few minutes to harden up before stacking them all together in the fridge. Didn't want that chocolate to smudge!

So, with that, get baking!

P.S. Watch where you step in the kitchen. I don't make this stuff up ^^

Find the recipe at: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2016/03/09/homemade-thin-mint-cookies/

Fudgy Brownies

Dense or cakey?

Rich or mild?

Mix-ins or solid brownie?

Frosted or plain?

Chewy or crumbly?

Gooey or dry?

Warm or cool?

Fork or fingers?

Think. Carefully. Your answers could be life changing as they will determine whether or not you will like these brownies.

Dense, rich, gooey-chocolate-chippy, and oh-so-sweet, eat 'em with a fork or your fingers, they will melt in your mouth. Decide to make them, and they will satisfy every chocolate craving you have.
*sighs with delight*

It's been way too long since I made brownies. I mean, it's probably been years. *gasp* I know, too long. So, I decided to make the richest brownies I could find to make up for lost time.

Good decision, good decision.

Eaten a la mode with homemade cinnamon ice cream, I practically died. SO GOOD. They are exactly my idea of a perfect brownie (meaning they are as chocolatey as can be). So–long story short–this recipe is a keeper.

See ya when I wake up from dreaming about these brownies!

Fudgy Brownies
Makes: 12-16 brownies

Notes:
*Be very careful to measure the flour accurately.
*Use bittersweet chocolate for a darker flavor.
*Alternatively, you can bake the brownies in a 11x7" baking pan for 35-40 minutes.

Recipe from: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/04/30/chewy-fudgy-homemade-brownies/

Buckeyes

These simple chocolate-covered peanut butter balls are a crowd pleaser for sure! Especially in Ohio...

Every year there is one Christmas cookie that we must make: pepparkakor, a.k.a. Swedish gingerbread. They're a tradition, they bring us back to our Swedish roots. Buuuuut this year there were no pepparkakor for us. None. We could find neither dark corn syrup nor cloves—two essential ingredients—in the stores in Taiwan, but since we still needed to make one more Christmas cookie, we decided try a new one.

Enter buckeyes.

We simply excluded the M&M's from the recipe on Sally's Baking Addiction, and the result was traditional buckeyes: creamy sweet peanut butter encased in a shell of rich crunchy chocolate.

(...ours aren't quite as chocolate-covered as they maybe should be to look like buckeye nuts, but we had a bit of chocolate trouble.)

A few notes on the recipe and process.

Use white, milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate to cover the buckeyes. Chocolate chips do not melt very well, and are not suggested—however, in a pinch, they do work. Whatever you do, do NOT add milk or water to the melted chocolate to 'loosen it up'. Trust me, it doesn't work. Instead, adding a little vegetable oil (about 1tsp. per 1 cup chocolate) to the chocolate before melting it will help it stay smoother. On the other hand, the chocolate will also take a little longer to firm up. There is no need to temper the chocolate if you are keeping the buckeyes chilled.

Making the peanut butter balls is super easy, but covering them in chocolate takes some time and practice. Use a toothpick or a dipping tool to dunk the buckeyes in the chocolate.

If you used toothpicks, after finishing chocolate-covering all of the balls, use your finger to rub over the tiny holes in the tops until they disappear.

How about a little buckeye background...

Buckeyes are made to look like horse chestnuts, also known as buckeyes. The buckeye tree is Ohio's state tree, and so it comes as no surprise that the buckeye candy is beloved in Ohio. Buckeyes are especially popular in the Christmas and football seasons.

Now, I don't really understand the Christmas part. Sure buckeyes are yummy, but are they Christmasy? Not really. I'm a strong believer in festive desserts at Christmas, especially those including peppermint or old traditions. So, I give you permission to make and eat these buckeyes whenever you want. Where does my authority come from, you may ask? Well, don't ask, just eat.

After all, don't you also think they would make a perfect cold snack on a warm day?

Buckeyes

Makes about 35 1-inch balls

Notes:

*Using chocolate chips for coating is not recommended, but works. A small amount of vegetable oil (about 1 tsp. per 1 cup chocolate) may be added to make the chocolate smoother. Using pure chocolate is best. Semi-sweet, milk, bittersweet, and white chocolate all taste good.

Recipe from: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/06/22/peanut-butter-mms-truffles/

Church Windows

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."

Wait...no it's not. I'm visiting my family in Taiwan right now, where it's 70ºF and Christmas isn't really celebrated, except for a few lights. However, inside our apartment, Christmas season is in full swing: tree, presents, decorations, music, movies, and, of course, baking.

First up on the baking list was church windows, my sisters' favorite Christmas cookie. Their namesake, stained glass windows, are one of my favorite parts of visiting big old churches. Those and the pipe organs. Unfortunately, these cookies are just about the only church windows I'll find in Taiwan. There are plenty of temples here (quite cool to see, but also a little creepy), and there are a few modern churches, but it's nothing compared to Europe. But these cookies appear on our Christmas cookie plate every year almost without fail.

However, sometimes getting these cookies onto the cookie plate is a bit of a struggle. To get the stained glass design, you need mini colorful marshmallows. Not a big deal, except that they are difficult to get ahold of overseas. Hence, we have to have visitors send them at Christmas, or we resort to cutting up large marshmallows into smaller pieces.

This year, the cutting-up method did not go very well. Elena and I dumped the marshmallow pieces into the very hot chocolate mixture, started to stir, and stood there in shock as we realized that the marshmallows were melting, ruining the church window effect. After panicking for a minute, we quickly rushed the pot over to the freezer and stuffed it in before any more marshmallows could melt. Luckily we saved them just in time, and we ended up with rich, delicious, marshmallow-stained glass church windows. Lesson learned!

This recipe from my grandma Faber is simple, quick, cute, and oh-so-tasty. Even the cat was curious to see what all the fuss was about!

Church Windows

Ingredients:
12 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 pkg. colored mini marshmallows*
1 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts (optional)

Directions:
In a medium pot, melt the chocolate chips and butter together.
Let cool for about 3 minutes before stirring in the marshmallows and nuts so that the marshmallows don't melt.
Pour the mixture onto two sheets of plastic wrap in a log shape. Roll the plastic wrap around the logs, set on a cookie sheet, and chill in the refrigerator. Cut into 1/2 inch slices.

*If you do not have mini marshmallows, cut colorful large marshmallows into small pieces, about 1 cm in length and width.

Recipe from: Janet Faber

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Cookies

We need to celebrate, because I JUST FINISHED MY IB EXAMS!

Sorry for shouting, but it really is very exciting. Two years of work, then 14 exams—it was no walk in the park. And now all that’s left to do is celebrate!

And these cookies are totally celebration-worthy. They’re soft and chewy, and chocolatey enough to satisfy even me.

I loooove these cookies. Let me tell you why!

The aroma floating out of the oven when they are baking is mouthwatering. I could hardly wait five minutes for them to cool enough not to burn all of my taste buds off, but finally I was able to bite into one of these cookies. Warm, gooey, chocolatey—it was better than I imagined it could be. Words cannot describe these cookies. Why did it take me so long to make chocolate cookies?

These are truly the perfect chocolate cookie. You can switch out the caramel-filled chocolate chips for peanut butter chips, mint chips, oreos…you name it. They’re even good enough that you could eat them plain. Once baked, they stay soft for daaaays. Also, you can freeze both the unbaked cookie dough balls and the baked cookies, which means you can satisfy your cookie cravings any time at a moment’s notice!

However, you must make them right, or you won’t have the perfect cookies.

Use room temperature butter and (if you can) eggs. They combine more smoothly with the other ingredients so that everything mixes together into one nice, consistently chocolatey dough.
Chill the dough. If you skip this step, the dough will be too sticky to handle and the cookies won’t be as thick (sad face).
When you remove the cookies from the oven, they’re going to look under-baked. I know. Just let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes to finish baking, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. On the other hand, if you leave them too long on the cookie sheet, they might start to get hard and crispy—which is ok if that is what you like.

These rows of cookies are unconventional—we're living on the edge today.

5 minutes on the pan, then stuff as many cookies as you like into your mouth. Your taste buds deserve to be able to taste these cookies at their best.

Let the rest finish cooling for later!

Aaaaand serve. Sorry about the feet—it's spring in Moscow.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Cookies
Prep: 15 minutes, Chill: 2 hours, Bake: 12 minutes
Total: 2.5 hours
Yield: 16 large or 36 small

Recipe from: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/04/21/inside-out-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Russian Hot Chocolate

To say "I love chocolate" would be an understatement. But get this—I didn't have my first sip of hot chocolate until I had traipsed this earth for 16 years.

And guess what? Chances are, you haven't had real hot chocolate at all. Now you're probably really confused, but let me clarify. Many people do not realize this, but there is a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa.

Hot cocoa is what we usually think of when we hear the words "hot chocolate". It is made with cocoa powder (hence the name hot cocoa) and sugar mixed with hot milk or water. It is more or less the consistency of milk—think hot, chocolate milk.

Hot chocolate, on the other hand, is much thicker and creamier than hot cocoa. As its name implies, it is made by melting chocolate into milk and cream. Because hot chocolate is rich, creamy, and thick beyond belief, it is wise to have a glass of water nearby. Hot chocolate has a much higher fat content than hot cocoa because it usually contains more dairy, and it is made using chocolate rather than cocoa powder. Hot chocolate is a popular drink in Russia and France.

The first time that I had real hot chocolate was at Shokoladnitsa, a Russian cafe chain that is very popular here in Russia. Because their hot chocolate is so intense, you can order just a teeny-tiny cup of it; but there are also bigger sizes of chocolatey bliss for more serious chocolate lovers (i.e. me!). No matter the size, though, it always comes with a glass of cold water, otherwise people would constantly ask for some.

It took awhile, but I've come to realize that in Russia, when you ask for hot chocolate, that is what you get. It is a big surprise for some foreigners when they see hot chocolate on the menu and they get a very rich, thick drink! If that's not your cup of tea hot chocolate, many places also offer hot cocoa.

Ever since taking my first sip of hot chocolate, I've wanted to try making it. It was difficult to find a recipe because many people call hot cocoa by the incorrect name of hot chocolate (though, I admit it, I'm guilty of this too, at times). But at last, I found what I was looking for on wellplated.com…a drink worthy of a cold, snowy, Russian winter day.

And honestly? It's not that difficult to make.

You just need some chocolate. Pure chocolate.

But before chopping that magic up, get some cream and milk heating. It needs to be drinkable!

Then chop your chocolate...

...and add it to your warm cream and milk.

Whisk it up!

It will start to look something like this. Make sure it all melts before pouring it into mugs.

After all of the chocolate has melted and been stirred into the milk and cream, it will become a thick, dark, creamy, rich, chocolatey consistency, and you know it's ready.

Perfection in a cup.

Rich Hot Chocolate
Servings: 3-4*

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. espresso powder (optional; will intensify chocolate flavor)
1-2 tsp. vanilla, mint, or peppermint extract to taste (optional, choose one)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, at least 72%, chopped*

Optional Garnishes:
Whipped cream
Marshmallows
Peppermint sticks
Cinnamon sticks
Scoop of ice cream

Directions:
1. Over medium heat in a medium pot, whisk whole milk, heavy cream, powdered sugar, espresso powder, and extract. Heat until there are bubbles around the edges; do not allow it to boil.
2. Remove pot from heat and whisk in chopped chocolate until melted. Return to low heat if the chocolate is not melted completely.
3. Serve warm. For leftover hot chocolate: cool to room temperature, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate. Carefully reheat in microwave or in a pot over low heat.

*Just quarter the recipe for a single serving.
*Better chocolate yields better hot chocolate, so use the highest quality possible. Do not use chocolate chips.

Recipe from: http://www.wellplated.com/french-hot-chocolate/

Decadent Chocolate-Mint Cookie Sandwiches

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Okay, who am I kidding, I totally forgot that it was St. Patrick's Day today. The only green that I have on is my teeny-tiny hair rubber band. Hey—it counts!

However, I do have some delicious green cookies for you in celebration of the day. Previously I only thought of these as Christmas cookies because they're so decadent, but now I've realized that St. Patrick's Day is the PERFECT excuse to make them. So now, I get twice the fun out of these cookies because I can make them for either Christmas or St. Patrick's Day—observe:

Creme de menthe or mint + green food coloring = St. Patrick's Day
Peppermint + red food coloring + edges rolled in crushed candy cane = Christmas

You're probably wondering why I'm so crazy about these cookies; well, let me tell you, decadent isn't even a strong enough word to describe these little morsels of delight. It's cupcake-meets-ice cream sandwich-meets-cookie! The frosting of a cupcake, the coldness and sandwichyness of an ice cream sandwich, and the crumbliness and substantialness of a cookie (two, actually). These cookies combine fudgy chocolate and sugary frosting. It's delicious! It's addicting! I'm obsessed! Someone take them away before I eat them all!

You can tell I've eaten way too many cookies.

We've had this recipe for yeeeaaarrrs...once upon a time, a long, long time ago, someone (probably my mom) ripped this recipe out of Midwest Living—but it's often the oldest recipes that are the best: through the years, this recipe has persisted as a favorite of mine and my sister's, which is why I called in her help to make these the other week. I'm not going to lie, they take a lot of work! But I promise, they are so worth it.

Trust me, these will be enough to satisfy any craving for chocolate. Just promise me one thing, okay? Eat them cold (or, at least one). I know, it's really hard to resist stuffing them all into your face as soon as you finish assembling them (I speak from experience), but being cold intensifies the fudginess and brings out the mint flavor—they become similar to ice cream sandwiches.

Make these ASAP, and enjoy!

Decadent Chocolate-Mint Cookie Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cookies:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened or unsweetened Dutch processed)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour

Chocolate Glaze:

1/3 cup whipping cream
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Creme de Menthe Filling:

1/3 cup butter, softened
3 Tbs. green creme de menthe or creme de menthe syrup*
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Chocolate Cookies:

1. Beat butter using an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
4. Beat in as much flour as possible, then use a wooden spatula to stir in the rest of the flour by hand (this may not be necessary if you are using a stand mixer).
5. Cover dough and chill until easy to handle, 2 to 24 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Roll dough into 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place balls 2 to 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake cookies for 6 to 10 minutes (depending on size of cookies—less time for smaller cookies). Remove from oven when edges are set; the middles may be slightly underdone, but will set while cooling. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. While cooling, make the Chocolate Glaze and the Creme de Menthe Filling.

Creme de Menthe Filling:

1. Combine butter and creme de menthe with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on medium speed until smooth.
3. If filling is not spreading consistency, add more creme de menthe, a little bit at a time. If filling is too loose, add more powdered sugar, a little at a time.

Chocolate Glaze:

1. In a small pot, stir whipping cream and chocolate over low heat until chocolate melts.
2. Remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes or until it thickens slightly.

Assembly:

1. For half of the cookies, frost the tops of them with the Chocolate Glaze. Do this spreading the Glaze on with an offset spatula or by dipping the tops of the cookies into the Glaze (you may have to reheat the Glaze a little to do this). Set cookies aside on wire rack, top sides up, until tops are set, about 30 minutes.
2. For the remaining cookies, use an offset spatula or a pastry bag to generously spread the bottoms of the cookies with the Creme de Menthe Filling.
3. For each cookie with filling, gently press a glazed cookie on top so that the filling is between the two cookies and the glaze is on the very top of the sandwich.
4. Place cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve cookies cold. Store leftover cookies in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

*Notes:
For the frosting, you can replace creme de menthe with: 3 Tbs. milk + 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla + 1/2 tsp. mint or peppermint extract + 2-3 drops green or pink food coloring.
To make: Combine butter, peppermint or mint extract, food coloring and milk. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add more milk to get to spreading consistency, and taste a little of the filling to make sure the mint/peppermint flavor is strong enough.

Recipe from: http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/cookies/ultimate-chocolate-mint-cookie-sandwiches/

Texas Sheet Cake

The first time I bit into a chocolatey square of Texas sheet cake years ago, I knew that someday I would have to make it myself. It sat in the back of my mind until I finally discovered that the Pioneer Woman has a recipe for it...I was so delighted that I made it almost immediately! All of her recipes are delicious…and usually pretty unhealthy too, and this one is no exception. However, this cake's heavenly flavor makes all that extra butter and sugar worth it.

The mystery behind Texas sheet cake: its name. People keep asking me, “why Texas?”.

The answer: I don’t know. Even wikipedia couldn’t tell me. *shakes head in disappointment*

I did find out, however, that this cake was quite popular in the South in the 1950s (no wonder there’s so much butter and sugar!). It actually has quite a few different names, one of the most common being simply “chocolate sheet cake”. But I don’t think that name does this cake justice—it speaks plain old chocolate to me (not that that's bad), but this is not just any old chocolate cake dumped into a sheet pan. Texas sheet cake is rich, moist, and chocolatey.

Texas sheet cake has a few defining characteristics which help make it so amazing: the most obvious are the use of chocolate and a sheet pan—but we already knew that much. Less obvious is that it usually has nuts (especially pecans) in the frosting, and buttermilk (or sometimes sour cream) in the cake; these give it crunch as well as fluffy-moistness. The light cake and dense frosting combine in two luscious layers to create one giant pan of goodness. "Texas sheet cake" is basically just another way of saying "indulgence".

Texas sheet cake is not only delicious to eat, but it is easy to make and feeds a crowd; no one goes home disappointed! The fact that nobody knows the exact origins of the cake is forgotten at the first bite.

Texas Sheet Cake

Serves: 24-30

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

4 Tbs. (heaping) cocoa

2 sticks butter (1 cup / 8 oz.)

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

 Frosting:

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

1 3/4 stick butter (14 Tbs. or 7 oz)

4 Tbs. (heaping) cocoa

6 Tbs. milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

about 7 1/2 cups (or 1 pound minus 1/2 cup) powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 Fº. Grease a 18x13 jelly roll pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

3. In a small pot, melt butter. Add cocoa powder and stir.

4. Carefully pour boiling water into cocoa mixture and allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds.

5. Remove from heat and add to flour mixture; stir.

6. Mix buttermilk, beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla together in a large measuring cup.

7. Add buttermilk mixture to flour and cocoa mixture. Stir until combined.

8. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

9. While cake is baking, make the icing.

Icing:

1. Chop pecans finely.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan.

3. Stir in cocoa, then turn off heat.

4. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar; mix and stir in the pecans.

5. Pour over warm cake, spreading evenly with a plastic spatula.

Recipe from: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_chocol/

Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

I have a problem with thieves. Dessert thieves, to be exact. And some of the desserts stolen aren't even finished being made! This isn't a new thing, either.

First it was Olive Garden breadsticks (yes, I know, not dessert, but still stolen), then donuts, then chocolate cupcakes – and now three chocolate cookies that were destined to become ice cream sandwiches, stolen from the counter that I thought we had made clear was the no-eating counter.

Apparently not.

I suppose this says something about how good the food is, but I would rather not have my plans tangled with.

This time, however, the thief was not my brother. It was my dad. I can see why he couldn't stop at one cookie...these cookies are crunchy with a rich chocolate flavor. Even so, they are better with ice cream! And I would have had 24 of these delicious sandwiches and a cookie for Dad to eat, but instead we are left with 23 sandwiches, some extra ice cream, and a thief.

Although time consuming, these ice cream sandwiches are a real treat! If you don't have much time (or an ice cream maker) you can also use store bought ice cream.

We sandwiched homemade mint chcolate chip ice cream between the cookies, and it was a great choice! The crunchiness of the chocolate cookies and chocolate chips together with the minty creaminess of the ice cream blended to create the perfect sandwich!

With one week left until school starts, these are the perfect summer treat (though a little difficult to eat because of the crispness of the cookies)!

Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

Makes: 24 2-inch diameter sandwiches

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cookies:

12 Tbs. butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Extra flour and cocoa for dusting

Ice cream:

2 quarts ice cream (homemade or store bought)

Directions:

Ice Cream:

1. Line a 9 x 13" pan with plastic wrap. Spread softened ice cream evenly in pan, then cover with more plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 12 hours.

Chocolate Cookies:

1. Cream together the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the cocoa powder and reduce speed to low, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. On medium speed, beat in the vanilla and egg.

4. Mix in the flour on low speed until well combined.

5. Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 4 hours.

6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF.

7. In a small bowl, make a mixture of enough cocoa powder and flour (50/50) to dust the surface of the counter to prevent sticking (the cocoa powder will keep the cookies dark brown once baked).

8. Remove dough from refrigerator; if it is rock hard, allow it to warm up a little bit. Roll out dough until about 1/8" thick. Cut into desired shapes; the cookie cutter used to cut the cookies will also be used to cut the ice cream.

9. Place cookies on a parchment paper or silpat-lined cookie sheet. The cookies do not spread much in the oven so do not worry about crowding them. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

10. Cool cookies completely on wire racks before assembling the ice cream sandwiches.

Ice Cream Sandwich Assembly:

1. Remove ice cream from freezer and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap.

2. Using the same cookie cutter as used for the cookies, cut out the ice cream, and use a spoon to remove it from the pan if needed. Sandwich the ice cream between two cookies.

3. Return sandwiches to freezer until firm, then eat.

Recipe from: http://notsohumblepie.blogspot.ru/2010/04/perfect-ice-cream-sandwich.html

Chocolate Ice Cream

In Bogota, ice cream was expensive. So, one of our friends had an ice cream maker that they lent to us, and we liked it so much that Mom and Dad then got us one for Christmas! Now, there is pretty much always ice cream in our freezer. And here in Russia, as in Bogota, ice cream is expensive, so the ice cream maker is still used a lot.

This chocolate ice cream recipe is really good and rich. The recipe came in a little recipe booklet with the ice cream maker.

The first time we used the ice cream maker, we discovered by mistake that you have to turn the ice cream maker completely on before pouring the ice cream in. Then it only takes 20 minutes to make! You can add m&ms or other add-ins during the last five minutes (unless the recipe specifies otherwise). You can eat the ice cream right after it's done in the ice cream maker, and it is soft serve, and if you freeze it for a while, it is hard serve.

We always keep the ice cream bowl in the freezer so that we can make ice cream any time. If you love having ice cream (or frozen yogurt, which we have yet to test) at home, get an ice cream maker! There are so many recipes. We use the booklet of recipes that came with our ice cream maker (we frequently use the vanilla and chocolate recipes from that book), we also have a Ben and Jerry's ice cream recipe book, which is amazing! And of course there is the internet. http://spaghettiicecream.com/icecream-and-gelato-recipes.html has many, many recipes. We even tried making marshmallow ice cream once...talk about sweet!

Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened cooa powder (Dutch process preferred)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place the cocoa and sugars in a medium bowl; stir to combine.

2. Add the whole milk and use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk to combine until the cocoa and sugars are dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. If not freezing immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Turn machine on; pour mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 25 to 35 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe from: Cuisinart

Mug Brownies

Last night I made something a little different. I discovered mug cakes about a year ago. You can probably guess that mug cakes are made in mugs. The great thing about them is that they can range from simple to decadent, there are many options, and they make just one serving each.

This recipe from love fromtheoven is pretty good. It makes a dense brownie, as opposed to a cake. I have changed the original recipe here to make the process easier, but you can find the original on the link below. The first time I made this, I put a marshmallow on top for the last few seconds of microwaving...nice and gooey. This time I put homemade peanut butter sauce on afterwards...mmm peanut butter and chocolate! I think mint chocolate chip ice cream would also be delicious, as well as a whole bunch of other toppings!

Here is the original peanut butter sauce recipe I used: http://www.foodthoughtsofachefwannabe.com/2013/07/homemade-vanilla-ice-cream-with-peanut.html

(These pictures came out kind of bad because I wanted to finish watching my movie.)

*Note: take out 1 tbs of oil to make to make a very dense brownie. If baking powder is not available to you, simply omit it; it does not make a big difference. These can be made in any microwave-safe container, although I do not recommend plastic. Warning, the brownie is very hot on the inside after finished cooking.

Mug Brownies

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Melted Butter

4 Tablespoons Flour

3 Tablespoons Sugar

Pinch Of Salt

1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder (I prefer Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder)

1-2 Tablespoons Oil (such as vegetable, canola or coconut)

1 Tablespoon Water

1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

Optional toppings:

chocolate chips

nuts

chocolate sauce

ice cream

whipped cream

peanut butter sauce

M&Ms

Fruit

The options are endless!

Instructions:

Melt your butter in a mug in the microwave. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add oil, water, and vanilla. Mix well. (Adding the ingredients in this way makes it so that minimal dishes are used...which is the point, right?!)

Cook in microwave for 60 seconds on high. Add more time by 10-20 second increments. Brownie should be slightly moist. Do not microwave too long, or the bottom will become hard.

Add toppings.

Recipe from: http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/07/14/brownie-a-la-anytime-single-serving-brownies-made-in-the-microwave/