chocolate » Jenna Queen of Awesome

Cherry Cordial M&M Cookies

Baking 2 Responses »

Jan 212011

Pictures

This Post Brought to You by Seasonal M&M's!

Chocolate Cherry Cordial M&M Cookies

Ingredients

Adding Flour

Adding Cocoa Powder

Adding Baking Soda

Stirring

Butter

Adding Sugar

Adding Brown Sugar

Mixing

Added Eggs

Adding Salt

Adding Almond Extract

Adding Flour/Cocoa Mix

Adding Cherry Cordial M&M's

Pretty

Stirred

Ready for the Oven

Out of the Oven

Do You Like My Racks?!?

Cherry Cordial M&M Cookies

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 10 bag Cherry Cordial M&M’s (or any other flavor you like!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addiction. Add the salt and almond extract.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in M&M’s. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

I sent these to work with my husband, he said everyone loved them!!

Quick & Dirty Chocolate Orange Fudge

Baking No Responses »

Jan 142011

Pictures

Ingredients

Chocolate Chips

Adding Sweetened Condensed Milk

Adding Vanilla

Chocolate Fudge

White Chocolate Chips

Adding Sweetened Condensed Milk

Adding Orange Extract

Adding Orange Food Coloring

Stirring it Up

Orange Fudge

Chocolate Layer

Orange Layer

Finished Product!

Quick & Dirty Chocolate Orange Fudge

12 ounces milk chocolate chips
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange extract
orange food coloring

Line an 8×8 inch pan with wax paper.

In a medium bowl combine milk chocolate chips, 2/3 can of sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Microwave 45 seconds to 1 minute at a time, stirring in between heating. Continue until smooth.

Spread ½ of the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan. Reserved other ½ of mixture. Chill 10-15 minutes. Microwave 45 seconds to 1 minute at a time, stirring in between heating.

In a small bowl combine white chocolate chips, remaining sweetened condensed milk, and orange extract. Continue until smooth. Stir in red and yellow food coloring until you achieve an orange color you like. Spread the mixture evenly across the first chocolate layer. Chill 10-15 minutes.

Reheat reserved chocolate mixture. Spread the mixture evenly across the orange layer. Chill for an hour. Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Recipe found here.

Easy and yummy! What else can I say?!?!

Halloween Chocolate Cut Outs

Baking No Responses »

Nov 092010

Pictures

Cookie Ingredients

Butter

Adding Sugar

Creaming Butter and Sugar

All Creamed

Adding Cocoa Powder

Mixing it Up

Adding Eggs

Adding Vanilla

Adding Flour

Mixing

All Done

Wrapped and Ready for the Refrigerator

Getting Ready to Roll the Dough

Rolled

Cutting out Ghosts

Ready for the Oven

Just Out of the Oven

Icing Ingredients

Black Gel for the Faces

Adding Water

Adding Meringue Powder

Whisking

All Whisked

Adding Cream of Tartar

Adding Powdered Sugar

All Ready for Mixing

Mixing

Mixed

Decorated Without Faces

With Faces

All Done

Halloween Chocolate Cut Outs

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 whole egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
Royal Icing
3/4 cup warm water
5 tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 1/4 pounds powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix until incorporated. Add egg and the vanilla extract. Blend together. Finally, mix in the flour until combined.

Wrap and refrigerate the dough in two separate batches for at least two hours.

Roll the dough out between two pieces of wax paper. Dip cookie cutters in a mixture of equal parts flour + cocoa powder before cutting out the shapes.

Place shapes at least two inches apart on the baking sheet. In an oven preheated to 350 degrees, bake for 10 mins, 12-15 for larger ones.

Royal icing recipe (I halved it and still had plenty extra): In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened…about 30 seconds.

Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more.

Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer.

Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy.

Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying.

Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency.

I saw this recipes on another Blog, and had to make them and share the recipe. The cookies were so soft and delicious.

Mocha Munchies

Baking No Responses »

Oct 272010

Pictures

The Ingredients

Chopped Chocolate

Added Butter

Adding Eggs

Adding Brown Sugar

Adding Coffee Liquor

Adding Vanilla

Adding Baking Powder

Adding Salt

Stirring

All Stirred

Adding Flour

More Stirring

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Chopped Espresso Beans

More Chopped Espresso Beans

Adding Espresso Beans

Adding Chocolate Chips

More Stirring

Cookie Batter (Looks Like Brownie Batter)

Cookies Ready to go in the Oven

Fresh Out of the Oven

Close Up

My Racks of Cookies

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
2 whole eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate-covered espresso coffee beans, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped (I didn’t add these)

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine bittersweet chocolate and butter. Microwave on 50 percent power (medium) for 2 to 3 minutes or until melted, stirring twice.

Add eggs, brown sugar, coffee liqueur, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Beat in flour until combined. Stir in dark chocolate chunks, espresso coffee beans, and pecans. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and tops are dull and crackled. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

Made 60 Cookies.

Recipe found here.

Almond Joy Cake

Baking 1 Response »

Oct 172010

My daughter Amara’s school was having a “Concert on the Green” and one of the activities was a Cake Walk. Well you know I had to make a cake or 3! With the help of my wonderful mother, we spent 2 days baking 3 cakes! Sadly Amara got sick the evening of the event and we were unable to go, but we dropped of our cakes and hopefully they were loved (and eaten) by some lucky families!

Cake 1

Basic Cake Mix Ingredients

Cake Mix

Water

Eggs

Oil

Mixing

Mixed

Pouring into Pans

All Cooked

Filling Ingredients and Canned Frosting

Sugar

Evaporated Milk

Marshmallows

Mom Stirring

99.9% Cooked

Adding the Almonds

Adding the Coconut

Stirring

Yummy Filling

First Layer

Putting on the Filling

Layer of Filling

Second Layer of Cake

Dripping

Frosted

Shaving the Chocolate

CAKE!!!

Almond Joy Cake

1 19.25 ounce chocolate cake mix (and ingredients to make the cake)
20 whole marshmallows, large size
1 11 ounce package coconut
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped almonds
1 16 ounce tub chocolate frosting

Make chocolate cake according to package directions in 2 round pans. While cake is cooling, heat evaporated milk, sugar and marshmallows in large saucepan until marshmallows are melted. Add coconut and almonds. Spread mixture on top of the bottom cake layer. Top with other cake layer and frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.

NOTES- I have no idea where I got this recipe and as you can tell the directions are very basic. Here are some things that I would do differently the second time around. I would let the filling cool before putting it on the cake and definately let it cool before frosting. After we frosted it, we put it in the refrigerator to cool and set up. After that we had to touch up the frosting in some spots from where the filling leaked and from where it melted the frosting. We also added some chopped almonds, coconut and shaved chocolate to the top for decoration. All in all, it was pretty simple and it looked great!

Double Choco Chunk Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream

Baking 2 Responses »

Oct 132010

Pitures

Cupcake Ingredients

Chocolate Box

Chocolate Bar

Melting Butter and Chocolate

Amara Stirring the Chocolate and Butter

Chopped Chocolate

Flour

Sifting Cocoa Powder

Adding Sugar

Adding Baking Powder

Adding Baking Soda

Adding Salt

Amara Stirring

Pouring Buttermilk

Egg

Vanilla

Whisking it All Up

Flour/Cocoa Mixture

Adding Chocolate/Butter Mixture

Whisking

Looks a Little Icky

Adding Flour/Cocoa Mixture

Whisking It All Up

All Mixed

Adding Chopped Chocolate

Folding It In

Putting It In the Trays

Fresh Out of the Oven

Very Tall

Frosting Ingredients

Butter and Some Powdered Sugar

Adding Salt

Mixing

Adding Food Coloring

Adding Mint Extract

Adding Milk

More Powdered Sugar

More Milk

All Done

All Frosted

One Cupcake

Side View

First of I want to thank my wonderful daughter for helping me make these and helping me take pictures. She’s such a good girl!!!

Double Choco Chunk Cupcakes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line and/or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin tin.

Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a greased saucepan or a double boiler; or do this in a microwave (very carefully in 30 second intervals). Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined, then add in the chocolate and butter mixture. Mix in the flour mixture until just moistened. Don’t worry about being thorough — a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Fold in the remaining chopped chocolate.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. Makes about 18 muffins.

Mint Buttercream

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint extract
4 tablespoons milk
3 drops green food coloring

In a large bowl, cream 1 1/3 cups sugar with 1/2 cup butter or margarine, and salt. Blend extract, 2 tablespoons milk, and remaining sugar into mixture. Gradually stir remaining milk into frosting until desired spreading consistency is reached.

I have no idea where I found the cupcake recipe but the frosting recipe can be found here.

I don’t know how the cupcakes are (yet), but the frosting was so good, and I’m not even a big mint fan!

York Peppermint Patty Pieces Cookies

Baking 7 Responses »

Aug 112010

This is a take on this recipe.

Pictures!

Secret Ingredient #1

Secret Ingredient #2

All the Ingredients

I love the flout to cocoa ratio

Creaming the Butter and Sugar

Making it Chocolate

Adding the Pieces

All Stirred Up

About to go in the Oven

Fresh out of the Oven

York Peppermint Patty Pieces Cookies

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8 ounce bag Peppermint Premier Baking Piece (they look like little Patties)
1 cup York Pieces (like Reese’s only Peppermint Patty flavored)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addiction. Add the salt and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in Peppermint Premier Baking Pieces and York Pieces. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 84 yummy cookies!!!

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Baking No Responses »

Aug 032010

I like chocolate, I like peanut butter, I like cupcakes!

Pictures

the Ingredients

Amara Helping

Mixing

About to go in the Oven

Just out of the Oven

Frosting Ingredients

Mixing

Frosted

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 whole eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Heavenly Peanut Butter Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool. Makes 20 cupcakes.

Frosting: Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work.

Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Recipe from here.

Mocha Cupcakes with Kahlua Cream Cheese Frosting

Baking No Responses »

Aug 012010

I made these for a BBQ and oddly enough I never had even one!!! I hope my friends who had them like them!!!

Pictures

the Ingredients

Adding Cocoa Powder

Mixing

Water/Espresso/Vanilla Mix

Mixing It Up

Batter

Before the Oven

After the Oven

Frosting Ingredients

Mixing

Frosted

Mocha Cupcakes with Kahlua Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 whole eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons cocoa powder, rounded
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Kahlua Frosting
1/2 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 tablespoons Kahlua
16 ounces powdered sugar

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Insert liners into a cupcake pan.

On medium speed, cream together the sugar, butter, and eggs until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in the sour cream.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt.

In a measuring cup combine the water, coffee and vanilla.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/sour cream mixture with the coffee mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Remove cupcakes to wire rack and cool before frosting. (makes 29 cupcakes)

Frosting: Cream together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Mix in Kahlua, then powdered sugar in one cup increments until frosting reaches desired consistency. Apply to cupcakes. (frosts 24+ cupcakes generously)

Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

Baking 3 Responses »

Jul 122010

Daddy came over last night and he likes brownies so I made brownies. There is a funny story about these brownies but you have to wait till the end!

Brownie Ingredients

Mixing

Going in the Oven

Out of the Oven

Frosting Ingredients

Mixing

All Frosted

On My Plate!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

1 cup butter, softened
1 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 whole eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I didn’t put the nuts in, not a nut fan)
Brownie Frosting
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup, optional

Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture until well blended. Stir in nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or just until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into bars. About 36 brownies.

Brownie Frosting: Beat butter and cocoa in small bowl until blended; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add 1 tablespoon milk and corn syrup, if desired; beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. Add additional milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, if needed. About 1 cup frosting.

Funny story, I went to use my 1/3 cup measure for the frosting when I discovered that it was dirty. I had accidentally used it for the cocoa powder in the brownies. So instead of 3 1/4 cup scoops equaling 3/4 cups I did 3 1/3 cup scoops equaling 1 cup. They were very chocolatey!!

Older Entries