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Cooks Network


Deep chocolate cake and ganache with a creamy raspberry interior and a stunning presentation make this showstopper the perfect end to any celebratory meal. See the article for step-by-step photos. If you’re not a fan of the spiral sliced look, you can also make a stacked geometric design (see the variation below).




PREPARATION


Make the cake

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F. Butter a large rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment. Butter the parchment and dust with cocoa powder, shaking out the excess. Combine the cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a small bowl.

Separate 3 eggs. Reserve the whites, and put the yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the remaining whole eggs and 1/2 cup of the sugar, and beat on high speed until thick and light in color, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Sift half of the cocoa powder mixture over the eggs. Using a large silicone spatula, fold to combine. Repeat with the remaining cocoa powder mixture.

In a clean stand-mixer bowl with a clean whisk attachment, beat the 3 egg whites on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. of sugar, increase the speed to medium high, and whip until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. With a silicone spatula, fold half of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whites and the vanilla until the batter is evenly colored, with no streaks of white. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, gently leveling it with an offset spatula.

Bake until the cake springs back when touched in the center, about 12 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.

Run a knife between the edge of the pan and the cake. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder. Flip the cake onto a clean kitchen towel, peel off the parchment, and starting with a long side, roll up the cake with the towel so that you have a 16-inch-long roll. (This will help the cake roll without cracking when filled.) Let cool completely in the roll, about 30 minutes.

Make the ganache

Meanwhile, pulse the two chocolates, the butter, and salt in a food processor until combined but still chunky, about 17 pulses. Combine the heavy cream and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. With the food processor running, add the hot cream in a thin stream and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the brandy, if using, and pulse to incorporate. Transfer the ganache to a medium bowl and refrigerate uncovered until it is the consistency of thick pudding, about 25 minutes.

Form the roulade

Unroll the cake (it will still be slightly curled from cooling in a roll).

Put about half of the ganache in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (cover and refrigerate the rest), and beat on high speed until light in color and about doubled in volume, scraping down the bowl as necessary, about 4 minutes.

Working quickly, spread about half of the paddled ganache over the surface of the cake in a thin, even layer (reserve the rest for another use). Roll the cake up as tightly as possible to form a 16-inch-long roll. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic and refrigerate until the ganache is firm and sliceable, at least 1-1/2 hours.

Line the mold

Remove the cake and the remaining ganache from the refrigerator. Allow the ganache to soften to a spreadable consistency, at least 20 minutes. Line an 8-cup dome mold or bowl with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang around the rim.

Set the cake on a cutting board seam side down, and using a serrated knife, trim the edges of the roll and then cut it in half. cut each half into 1/4-inch slices, wiping the blade clean after each cut to ensure the slices of cake are clean. Put one slice in the bottom center of the mold. Next, fit a few slices around the center piece, fitting them snugly in place. continue adding slices up the side of the mold. Line the mold completely. If the last slices reach above the rim, trim them using a sharp knife or push them so that they are flush with the rim of the mold. Reserve any remaining slices; they will be used once the mold is filled.

Using a small silicone spatula or spoon, spread the remaining ganache in an even layer over the surface of the cake slices to fully coat the interior of the mold. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.




Assemble and serve the charlotte

Melt the white chocolate with ¼ cup water in a small bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth and blended, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to set until just cool to the touch. Remove the mold from the refrigerator. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream on high until soft peaks form. With a large silicone spatula, fold about a third of the cream into the cooled white chocolate mixture. Sift the raspberry powder over the chocolate mixture and fold until no streaks remain. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse into the mold. Fit the reserved cake slices over the raspberry cream, trimming a few slices, if necessary, to make them fit, and then gently press them into the cream filling. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up two 2 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month.
To unmold and serve the cake, place a cardboard round or cake plate over the top of the mold and invert. Tap on the counter to release the cake. Lift away the mold, remove the plastic wrap, and serve.

Variation: Geometric Stacked Charlotte

Prepare the batter as directed in the master recipe. Trace the circumference of the rim of your 8-cup dome mold on a piece of parchment. Butter 2 large rimmed baking sheets and line them with parchment, making sure to flip the parchment with the traced circle so it is ink-side-down on the baking sheet. Butter the parchment on both sheet pans and dust with cooca powder—make sure the circle you traced is still visible through the cooca powder.

Spread 3/4 cups of the batter in the circle traced on the parchment. Scrape the remaining batter into the other prepared pan, gently leveling it with an offset spatula. Bake the cakes, swapping the racks and rotating the pans after about 6 minutes. Continue to bake until they spring back when touched in the center, about 4 more minutes for the circle and 6 more minutes for the full pan. Set the pans on wire racks and allow to cool slightly. To release the larger cake, run a knife between the edge of the pan and the cake. Dust the tops of both cakes with cocoa powder. Flip the cakes onto fresh parchment, and carefully peel the parchment from the bottoms. Place the parchment with the larger cake on the back of a large rimmed baking sheet. Measuring along the long edge, cut the cake vertically, into four equal rectangles. Cover both loosely with plastic wrap.

Prepare the ganache as directed in the master recipe. After beating half the ganache in the stand mixer, divide the paddled ganache between three of the rectangular cake layers, and spread evenly. Stack the four rectangular cake layers, putting one layer, cake-side down on top of the paddled ganache of another, finally put the cake layer without ganache on the top and gently press to even and smooth the layers. Cover the layered cake and refrigerate until the ganache is firm and sliceable, at least 1-1/2 hours.

 Remove the cake and remaining ganache from the refrigerator. Allow the ganache to soften to a spreadable consistancy, at least 20 minutes. Line the mold with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang around the rim. Set the cake on a cutting board, and using a serrated knife, trim the edges. Then cutting lengthwise, remove a 1/4- to 3/8-inch wide strip, and cut the strip into 1-1/2-inch wide slices.

Place one slice in the center of the mold, next fit 4 slices around the center, fitting them in so that the orientation of the layered striping of each slice is either horizontal or vertical to the striping of the center slice. Continue adding slices alternating the orientation of the layered striping, while you build the pattern up the side of the mold, gently pushing and fitting so that there is very little, if any space left between the slices. Cut more strips from the cake as you need them, wiping the blade after each cut to ensure the slices of cake are clean. To completely line the mold, the last slices will reach above the rim. Using a sharp knife, trim these slices even with the rim. Using a silicone spatula, or spoon, spread the remaining ganache in an even layer over the surface of the cake slices, to fully coat the interior of the mold. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.

Make the raspberry filling as directed in the master recipe, and scrape the filling into the lined mold. Place the circle of cake over the filling and gently press. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for a at least 6 hours and up to 2 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Unmold and serve as directed in the master recipe.


INGREDIENTS


For the cake

Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
1 oz. (1/4 cup) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder; more for dusting
1-1/2 oz. (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
6 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the ganache

10 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz. dark chocolate, preferably 85% cacao, finely chopped
4 oz. (8 tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbs. cherry brandy, such as kirschwasser (optional)

For the filling

8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1.2-oz. package freeze-dried raspberries, pulverized in a spice grinder and sifted



NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories (kcal) : 610    Fat Calories (kcal): 400    Fat (g): 44    Saturated Fat (g): 27    Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2    Monounsaturated Fat (g): 12    Cholesterol (mg): 180    Sodium (mg): 105    Carbohydrates (g): 47    Fiber (g): 4    Sugar (g): 38    Protein (g): 9



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A dessert that is actually good for you? That would be dark chocolate dipped strawberries. You can indulge and not feel guilty. Dark chocolate dipped strawberries are the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. Don’t spend a fortune for fancy berries off the internet; make your own, save a bundle and have fun.




Classic Flavors – Strawberries and Chocolate

Few can resist the classic flavor of strawberries dipped in chocolate. They’ve disappeared quickly at every event I’ve ever catered. I once made 500 for a large event. It was so much fun! A site to behold, platter after platter of gorgeous, dark chocolate dipped strawberries. A small plate for just you and your special date or dinner guests is just as impressive. The accolades you’ll receive are almost guaranteed.

Washing Strawberries

When choosing strawberries, go for larger berries that have a nice green leaves or stem. That stem becomes your handle when you dip the berries. Choose organic strawberries if you can for the best flavor and reduced exposure to pesticides.

Wash the strawberries in cool water and allow them to dry thoroughly. Another option is to use a product called Eat Cleaner to wash them. It works great for fruit and vegetables and has become a mainstay in my kitchen.

The berries must be totally dry, because water and chocolate are enemies. If they are at all wet, the water will cause the chocolate to “seize” or become an unworkable, clumpy mess.

Place the berries on a tray or plate lined with paper towels while you melt the chocolate and gather your decorations.

Choosing Chocolate

For health benefits, choose dark, bittersweet chocolate. Go for a 70% rating. That percentage is the amount of chocolate solids. The higher the percentage, the more bitter and the less sweet the chocolate is(and less sugar).

Our favorite is Theo, an organic, fair-trade brand made in Seattle. Scharffen Berger, Valhrona, and Guittard are also good options.

It you want to decorate with white chocolate, I prefer Valrhona. It has the best creamy taste in white chocolate. You can order these brands off the internet from Amazon or buy it at many higher end grocers, some cooking stores, and sometimes Cost Plus World Market.

Melting Chocolate – Get Ready To Dip

There are two ways to melt chocolate: double boiler or microwave. I prefer the double boiler  method because it’s easier to control the viscosity of the chocolate. Either way, you want to melt chocolate slowly to minimize any graininess.




To set up a double boiler, place a large (4-5 quart or liter) saucepan over medium heat with a few inches of water. Bring to a strong simmer. Place a small to medium sized stainless steel bowl on top of the pan. It should fit just inside the pan, and the bottom of the pan should not touch the water. Turn the heat down to low.

Place chocolate in the bowl and melt slowly. Once the chocolate is almost smooth, turn off the heat and stir. It will become smooth. I find that the chocolate dips and clings the best when it is not too fluid. You will feel the right temperature.




Carefully holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the berry into the melted chocolate, rolling it around to coat evenly. Leave a little berry showing at the top. Allow excess chocolate to drip off, then turn the berry upside down for a few moments. Place the chocolate dipped berry on a parchment or wax paper covered plate or tray. I use quarter size rimmed baking sheets, an indispensible tool.

Decorating Your Strawberries – Optional

If you are going to decorate the berries, allow the chocolate to set for a minute, then sprinkle with decorations. Sprinkling works better than rolling as it’s easier to control the coverage. Sometimes you get too much when you roll them in the decorations. Do what works best for you. One good option is the Natures Colors naturally colored sugars from India Tree.

To decorate with white chocolate patterns, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. When fluid, drizzle the white chocolate with a fork and drag a toothpick through the white chocolate in the opposite direction. You can also use a small piping bag to create an kind of pattern you want.

Allow the berries to dry and set up completely. You can place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. They will be the best if enjoyed the day they are made, or at the latest the next day.




PREPARATION


Wash strawberries and allow them to dry totally and completely on a paper towel lined plate or tray. Ready another plate or tray with wax paper or parchment to hold the dipped berries.

Set up a double boiler. Fill a 4-5 quart (liter) saucepan with a few inches of water. Bring to a strong simmer. Place the dark chocolate in a small to medium stainless steel bowl that will fit just inside of the pan. Place bowl inside of the pan and turn heat down to low. Melt chocolate slowly, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Carefully holding a berry my the stem, dip and roll the berry in the melted chocolate. Allow excess to drip off, then turn the berry upside down for a few seconds to set. Place the berry on the clean line tray. When berry has set for a minute, sprinkle with decorative sugar if desired. To decorate with white chocolate, melt the white chocolate and use a fork to drizzle lines on the berries, then drag a toothpick across the lines to create a pattern.

Note – for clean white lines, allow the chocolate to set up completely, then drizzle with the white chocolate.




INGREDIENTS


18-20 large fresh preferably organic, strawberries
8-10 ounces of good quality 225 – 285 grams, dark or bittersweet chocolate, rated 70%, chopped coarse
Assorted decorative sprinkles optional
3 ounces good quality white chocolate 85 grams, optional for decorating


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 5 (153 g)     Servings Per Recipe: 2dzn


Calories 141.3    Calories from Fat 116 77%     Total Fat 13 g 19%     Saturated Fat 8 g 39%    Cholesterol 2 mg 0%    Sodium 13.2 mg 0%    Total Carbohydrate 12.6 g 4%    Dietary Fiber 3.5 g 14%    Sugars 6.6 g 26%    Protein 3.1 g 6%


DARK CHOCOLATE I GOOD FOR YOU

If you enjoy dark chocolate, eat a little daily – but make it the dark kind:

Eating 2 ounces (50 grams) a day of plain chocolate with a minimum content of 70% chocolate solids can be beneficial to health, providing protection against heart disease, high blood pressure, and many other health hazards.  Also essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium, and vitamins A. B1, C, D, and E.  Plus it is a lot tastier than boring old vitamin pills too.  A 1 1/2-ounce square of chocolate may have as many cancer-fighting antioxidants as a 5-ounce glass of red wine.

 About 50% of all food cravings are for chocolate.  Far more than cravings for “something sweet” (16%), salty foods (12%), baked goods (11%), and fruit (4%).  Some people go so far as saying they are addicted to chocolate.  But that is no license to go on a chocolate binge.

Eating more dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure.  Remember, you do have to balance the extra calories by eating less of other things.

A word of caution:  Not all chocolate is heart healthy.  White chocolate, which a Harvard researcher points out is “not really chocolate at all,” and milk chocolate may expand the hips rather than help blood flow.  None of the instant cocoa mixes in the local grocery store contain the flavonoids that improve blood vessel function.


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Easy and quick dessert just the way we like it, this is the special post for all the moms short on time 






INSTRUCTIONS

In large bowl, combine chocolate, marshmallows and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Microwave on High 2 minutes; stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth (if not melted after 2 minutes, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between). Let cool to room temp, about 45 minutes.

Once mixture is cool, whip remaining cream in bowl until soft peaks form; transfer 1/2 cup to small bowl for topping. Refrigerate.

Stir half of remaining whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture until fully incorporated, then gently fold in the rest. Spoon into eight 4-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

To serve, top with reserved whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate, if desired.







INGREDIENTS

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao or higher), chopped, plus chocolate shavings
30 regular-size marshmallows
2 c. heavy cream




Nutritional information 

(per serving): 

About 455 calories, 30 g fat (21 g saturated), 4 g protein, 45 mg sodium, 30 g carb, 3 g fiber




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Tiramisu translated to Italian means "lift me up." And its indulgent creamy, mocha-tinged flavor smooth and wonderful. With ladyfingers, and with coffee, mascarpone cheese, and shaved or grated chocolate, mainly tiramisu is a cross between a trifle and bread pudding. 

Our Low-Fat version is less than 200 calories per serving, and makes it a ideal dinner lunch or party treat.






Coffee soaked lady fingers layered with creamy dreamy filling made from mascarpone cheese and egg yolks. With just a handful of ingredients this amazingly simple dessert will always be a favorite of mine.

Tiramisu stole my heart years ago, when I had my first taste. It was love at first bite. It was like stepping into another world where everything is perfect! It’s like flying without wings, only a little bit of pixie dust, just like the dust of cocoa powder sprinkled on top of the cake.

It’s light and airy, sweet and creamy. It is a classic dessert that will never die.



My Tiramisu is made by layering coffee soaked lady fingers and a mixture of mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, sugar and milk. Since I wanted to hold its shape better I left out both the heavy cream and the egg whites.

The filling is made by creaming egg yolks with sugar and milk and just gently cooked, whisking constantly so the egg does not scramble. If you are scared the eggs might cook, you could use a double boiler, but with a little bit of practice, whisking by hand for about 3 minutes it’s not hard.
Once the egg yolks are slightly cooked, the waiting starts.




Tiramisu is not just a pick-me-up dessert, but it can also be called the test-for-patience dessert.
Once the egg yolks reach boiling point you have to let them cool for a while at room temperature followed by some refrigeration time. Mascarpone cheese and mixed in and the cake is assembled. Refrigerate over night! No peaking. No testing. No tasting! Just let the flavors come together. The longer it sits, the better it gets.


PREPARATION

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and milk in a medium saucepan until combined.
Cook over medium heat, whisking all the time, until it reaches boil point. Continue cooking for one more minute. Leave to cool for about 30 minutes at room temperature followed by 1 hour in the fridge.
Once the egg yolk mixture is cold, whisk in 1 pound of room temperature mascarpone cheese.
Line a 9X5 loaf pan with plastic wrap.

Moving as quick as possible dip one third of the lady fingers in the cold coffee, one at a time, and place them on the bottom of the pan in a single layer. You might need to break a few to fit perfectly into the pan.

Spread almost one third of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers.
Place a second layer of coffee dipped lady fingers and spread some more mascarpone cheese on top.

Dip the remaining lady fingers in coffee and arrange them over the mascarpone cheese.
Spread the remaining mascarpone cheese, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
Gently remove the tiramisu from the pan, sprinkle with cocoa powder and grate chocolate on top.
Slice and enjoy
!





INGREDIENTS

3 egg yolks (if possible use pasteurized eggs, Safest Choice Eggs is what I used)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 pound mascarpone cheese, room temperature
7 oz lady fingers
1 cup cold brewed coffee
cocoa powder
chocolate shaves


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (103 g)     Servings Per Recipe: 8

Calories 179.2    Calories from Fat 55 31%    Total Fat 6.1 g 9%     Saturated Fat 2.3 g 11%     Cholesterol 262.1 mg 87%     Sodium 60.3 mg 2%    Total Carbohydrate 24.8 g 8%     Dietary Fiber 0.3 g 1%     Sugars 13.2 g 52%     Protein 5.4 g10%


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If you are a fan of chocolate and cherries (and who isn’t?) you’ve got to try these Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies. Fudgy, brownie-like cookies with a sweet cherry peeking through a drizzle of cherry infused chocolate frosting.






I had such a thing for maraschino cherries when I was a kid. I think it was the Shirley Temple that got me hooked. That beverage was all the rage with the hip 8-year old crowd in the early 70’s and I can remember stuffing about 5 or 6 maraschinos in my glass at a time. Weird kid? Maybe. But my love for maraschino cherries has not dwindled with age.

These seriously chocolaty cookies feel nostalgic to me. Probably due to my my fond maraschino cherry memories but also because all thumbprint cookies hold a special place in my heart.

Grab a large mixing bowl and your electric hand mixer. Cream together the softened butter and both the brown and white sugars. Add an egg and the vanilla extract and beat until creamy and well combined.







In a separate smaller bowl, combine the dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, a little at a time, beating until combined with each addition.Roll the dough into small 1″ balls. You should end up with 30 of them – or close to it.






Place the little cookie dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I highly recommend baking your cookies on parchment paper but if you don’t have any on hand, place the cookies directly on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Use a finger to make a small indentation in the center of each ball. Press lightly and only about half way through the center of the ball.






Place a maraschino cherry in each indentation. It’s a good idea to blot them lightly with a paper towel before placing them. A little juice is good but you don’t want them dripping wet.

I can remember eating maraschino cherries right from the jar when I was a little and to this day feel that they are the best part of a Shirley Temple. One is never too old for a Shirley Temple with 5 maraschino cherries, right?

And, it’s time for the oven. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 or 11 minutes maximum.

On to the super simple, 3 ingredient frosting. Place 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk. You’ll have about half a can of this lusciousness left over. For an indulgent java experience try Pioneer Woman’s Vietnamese Iced Coffee. I can’t think of a better way to use up leftover sweetened condensed milk.

Add the sweetened condensed milk to the saucepan and cook and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved maraschino cherry juice. This amount works perfectly for me but feel free to add additional juice to reach the desired drizzling or piping consistency you are after. For a pretty, uniform look, transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a small circle tip. Pipe some of the frosting over each cooled cookie.

If you don’t want to bother with the whole pastry bag thing, feel free to just grab a fork and use the tines to drizzle the frosting over the top of the cookies. I promise I won’t tell anyone and I also promise they will taste just as good.






PREPARATION



In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugars until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and then add to creamed mixture a little at a time, beating until well combined. Shape into 24 balls, about 1" round, and place on ungreased or parchment paper lined baking sheets. Slightly indent each ball with one of your fingers and then push one cherry into each ball.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add 2 tablespoons reserved cherry juice and stir until smooth. Add additional cherry juice if necessary to reach desired consistency. Drizzle frosting over cooled cookies or alternately, transfer the frosting to a pastry bag and pipe over the cookies for a more uniform look.






INGREDIENTS


For the Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
30 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

For the Frosting

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons reserved maraschino cherry juice, plus additional as needed



NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (1222 g) Servings Per Recipe: 20

Calories 93.8 Calories from Fat 33 35% Total Fat 3.7 g 5% Saturated Fat 2.2 g 11% Cholesterol 10.2 mg 3% Sodium 43.6 mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 14.6 g 4% Dietary Fiber 0.9 g 3% Sugars 10.4 g 41% Protein 1.2 g 2%





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Chocolate crinkle cookies are usually tooth-achingly sweet, with just a couple of wide gaping cracks instead of a crackly surface. For cookies that live up to the name, we use a combination of unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder (plus a boost from espresso powder) for a deep, rich chocolate flavor. 

Using brown sugar instead of granulated lends a more complex, tempered sweetness with a bitter molasses edge that complements the chocolate. A combination of both baking powder and baking soda gave us cookies with the right amount of lift and spread, helping produce good fissures on the outside. But the real key was rolling the cookies in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar. It helped produce the perfect crackly exterior and kept the powdered sugar coating in place.





Unsweetened chocolate and instant espresso powder give depth of flavor to these sophisticated cookies. A dredge in powdered sugar before baking ensures sweetness, and also gives them a unique cracked surface and snow-covered

I made this last week for my kids and they loved it, you may think impressing kids peace of cake. With all this cheap snacks you can buy, impressing kids is not as easy as before lol


PREPARATION 

MAKES 22 COOKIES

Both natural and Dutch-processed cocoa will work in this recipe. Our favorite natural cocoa is Hershey’s Natural Cocoa Unsweetened; our favorite Dutch-processed cocoa is Droste Cocoa. Our preferred unsweetened chocolate is Hershey’s Unsweetened Baking Bar.

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.

2. Whisk brown sugar; eggs; espresso powder, if using; and vanilla together in large bowl. Combine chocolate and butter in bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined. Fold in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

4. Place granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar in separate shallow dishes. Working with 2 tablespoons dough (or use #30 scoop) at a time, roll into balls. Drop dough balls directly into granulated sugar and roll to coat. Transfer dough balls to confectioners’ sugar and roll to coat evenly. Evenly space dough balls on prepared sheets, 11 per sheet.
5. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely on sheet before serving


Maximizing Chocolate Flavor
Both unsweetened bar chocolate and cocoa powder add chocolate flavor to our cookies because they contain cocoa solids, but they each have another less obvious way to boost the chocolate. Cocoa’s starch content allows us to cut back on flour, while the chocolate’s cocoa butter means we can use fewer tablespoons of dairy butter. And that translates to bigger, undiluted chocolate flavor. To amplify it further, we also add several teaspoons of espresso powder.
How Granulated Sugar Creates More Crinkles
Most cookies have top crusts that remain relatively soft and flexible as the cookies set during baking. However, if the top surface dries out before the cookie is finished spreading and rising, it hardens, cracks, and pulls apart, producing an attractive crinkly, cracked exterior.
While we found that multiple factors can affect how quickly the top dries out and thus how many cracks are formed (including the temperature of the dough and how rapidly it spreads in the oven), a simple tweak turned out to be key to producing a maximum number of fissures: rolling the balls of dough in granulated sugar before rolling them in powdered sugar.
Coating the cookies with either type of sugar draws out moisture from their surface, promoting cracks by drying out their tops before the interiors set. But granulated sugar does so more efficiently because of its coarse, crystalline structure. As the crystals absorb moisture, some—but not all—dissolve into a syrup. As the cookies continue to bake, the moisture evaporates, and the sugar begins to recrystallize, a process that is accelerated by the undissolved sugar crystals, which act as “seed” crystals. When enough new crystals form, they begin drawing out moisture once again. The upshot: a cookie with a faster-drying surface that is more prone to cracking.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups packed (10 1/2 ounces) brown sugar
3 large eggs
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
½ cup (2 ounces) confectioners' sugar

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1 (37 g)     Servings Per Recipe: 22
Calories 163.2    Calories from Fat 80 49%    Total Fat 8.9 g 13%    Saturated Fat 4.7 g 23%     Cholesterol 21.9 mg 7%    Sodium 87.7 mg 3%    Total Carbohydrate 21.3 g 7%    Dietary Fiber 1.1 g 4%     Sugars 14.2 g 56%    Protein 1.9 g 3%


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This easy Texas sheet cake is perfect for times when you need a cake that serves a lot of people, but is simple and straightforward to make. It’s ideal for feeding folks with dietary restrictions since it’s paleo-friendly and free of gluten, grains, and dairy. And it’s also just the thing for when you suddenly need chocolate cake on a random afternoon and don’t want to wait too long to get your fix. With a chocolate sheet cake, you don’t have to worry about un-molding, stacking, or leveling multiple layers of cake. And since sheet cakes are thin, they cool quickly so you don’t have to wait long to frost them. You can make this whole thing, start to finish, in less than an hour. It’s also just really fun to look at such a vast expanse of cake.






This cake also has the best texture of any paleo-friendly chocolate cake I’ve ever made–it really tastes just like a regular cake! But, like a really good, homemade regular cake–not a store-bought one, of course. I looked to classic, gluten-laden Texas sheet cake recipes for guidance in developing this recipe, and discovered that they are usually made with buttermilk. Buttermilk works together with baking soda to help cakes rise, and also helps create a tender crumb. For this recipe, I made a super simple dairy-free buttermilk replacement using Dream Ultimate Almond Unsweetened Almond Beverage and a little bit of apple cider vinegar.






Dream Ultimate Almond is a new line of almond beverages made with four times more California almonds, and it shows. It’s rich, creamy, and also packs five grams of plant-based protein per serving. I’m thrilled to discover Dream Ultimate Almond because it is delicious in my morning coffee and also perfect for baking. In addition to using Dream Ultimate Almond to make faux buttermilk for the cake itself, I use two cups of it in the easy and ridiculously tasty chocolate ganache that I use to frost the cake. That means there are ten grams of protein in that frosting! I won’t say this is health food, but I feel pretty good about it as compared to a traditional frosting made with heavy cream.






Like the cake, the frosting is super easy. You just pour a bunch of chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate, if you prefer) into a bowl and add a little vanilla and a tiny bit of salt. Then you heat up the Dream Ultimate almond, either stovetop or in the microwave, pour it over the chocolate, wait a beat for it to melt, and then stir. There’s no mixer required (for the cake or the frosting!), and the results are so good. Just look at that bowl of silky, chocolaty perfection below. I’ll admit to eating several spoonfuls of it before frosting the cake. I ALMOST ate a whole bowl of it like pudding, but the thought of a naked, ganache-less cake brought me back to my senses. 

This light, tender cake and rich, velvety ganache are made for each other. I added toasted almonds and pecans on top, which provide pops of crunch in almost every bite. The pecans are a nod to traditional Texas sheet cakes and the almonds are a nod to the Dream Ultimate Almond and almond flour used to make the cake, but you can use all almonds, all pecans, or no nuts at all on top if you prefer. And in case you’re wondering, the cake and frosting don’t taste like almond at all.





Dream Ultimate Almond is available at Whole Foods and Sprouts. If you’ve been disappointed with watery store-bought almond milk or need a great plant-based milk for baking, I highly recommend giving it a try! Visit Dream’s site for a coupon.


Oh, and you know what’s a perfect accompaniment to a slice of this easy Texas sheet cake? A glass of Dream Ultimate Almond Vanilla. It’s pictured in the second photo in this post and it is JUST the thing for chocolate-induced thirst. Usually I find store-bought vanilla almond milk way too sweet, but Dream Ultimate Almond is so lightly sweetened that I find it delightful alongside dessert.



INSTRUCTIONS


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 13x18x1-inch sheet pan with parchment and grease the bottom and sides with a little avocado oil.

Measure out half a cup of Dream Ultimate Almond into a two-cup measure and stir in the apple cider vinegar. This is our dairy-free substitute for buttermilk. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

Whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, and salt in a large bowl.

Warm the maple syrup, avocado oil, cocoa powder, and espresso powder in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until quite hot to the touch but not simmering. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until no lumps remain.

Add the eggs and baking soda to the two-cup measure with the almond “buttermilk” and beat with a fork. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the batter and stir until thoroughly combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until set. Let cool in the pan.

To make the chocolate ganache, put the chocolate chips, sea salt, and vanilla extract in a very large heatproof bowl. Microwave the Dream Ultimate Almond or heat it in a saucepan until very hot but not yet simmering. Pour it over the chocolate, cover the bowl, and let it sit for a couple of minutes to give the chocolate time to melt. Stir the ganache until smooth.
You can frost the cake right away or refrigerate the frosting for twenty minutes or so if you’d like it a little firmer. Use a spatula to spread the frosting onto the cake and sprinkle the nuts on top. Slice into squares or rectangles and serve.

NOTES


*Roast the nuts on a dry sheet pan in a 350°F oven until they're slightly darker and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a plate to cool before putting them on top of the cake.







INGREDIENTS


For the cake:

1¾ cup almond flour
½ cup tapioca flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Dream Ultimate Almond Unsweetened
1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1½ cups maple syrup
¾ cup avocado oil, plus more for greasing the pan
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the chocolate ganache:

4 cups dairy-free dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (about 24 ounces)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Dream Ultimate Almond Unsweetened

For the topping:


1 cup pecans halves and/or almonds, lightly toasted and chopped*


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (135 g)     Servings Per Recipe: 12

Calories 669    Calories from Fat 293 44%    Total Fat 32.6 g 50%    Saturated Fat 6.9 g 34%    Cholesterol 37 mg 12%    Sodium 493.3 mg 20%    Total Carbohydrate 91.3 g 30%    Dietary Fiber 1.9 g 7%    Sugars 71 g28 4%    Protein 6 g 12%



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