Chocolate Indulgence for Valentine's Day!

Have you ever had Chili's Molten Chocolate Cake?  

It is one of my favorite desserts from Chili's!  Pure chocolate indulgence :)

The Food Network Kitchens has come up with their version . . . 

impress your sweetie with this restaurant-style dessert!  

Cooking Channel TV has the recipe!  Emeril never lets me down!  

I can't wait to make this New York Style Chocolate Cheesecake :)  

How about adding some glazed strawberries on top

to make it extra special for Valentine's Day?

Design Sponge has a recipe with photo instructions

 on how to make one of my favorite candies!  

Surprise your sweetie by making a batch of these

 homemade chocolate peanut butter cups . . . 

Karen at Mommy's Moments has an awesome recipe for

 Fudge Lovers Cream Cheese Cake that gets my vote.  

This is what I'm making for my sweetie . . .

Chocolate Covered Strawberries . . . it is as easy as melting

 chocolate chips of your choice in a double boiler and

 dipping the strawberries in the melting chocolate.  

Click here for an article with variation ideas.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake from Fine Cooking

I seriously want to try to this recipe!  My sweetie may get two sweet treats . . .

Brownie Cheesecake Bars

1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
3 eggs, divided
1/2 cup milk
3 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 Tbs. cornstarch
14 oz. can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk



1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 baking pan. In mixer bowl, beat
flour, sugar, melted butter, cocoa, 2 eggs, milk, 2 tsp. vanilla and
baking powder until well blended. Stir in nuts. Spread into pan.

2. In small mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, 2 Tbs. butter and
cornstarch until fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk, then
remaining 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla, beating until smooth. Pour over
brownie batter.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cool;
refrigerate. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator.

Source: old magazine clipping

Chocolate Fudge

Food gifts are the best . . . I love to give them as well as receive them . . . especially sweets. Fudge is one of the perfect gifts to give anyone. The methods of packing and gift wrapping are endless . . . just about everyone loves fudge . . . it is one of those universal gifts . . .

When I quit working and suddenly had to adjust to being a one-income family, store bought gifts were the first thing to go . . . especially the past extravagance of Christmas. I was blessed with the ability to create cool and unique items that everyone in the family loved to receive. Handmade gifts are so appreciated by most people because they are special and made with lots of love. Teenagers into designer names are the exception . . . but I made them realize that setting the trends and being unique was more cool than being like the sheep who follow everyone else.

This is the only fudge recipe I use . . . CHOCOLATE . . . it is the only one I need . . . it is that good and relatively easy.  Even in my working days, we had a tradition of taking vacation days around the Christmas holiday, we baked and cooked non-stop in preparation for our annual Christmas party and made lots of food gifts for our guests to take home. I remember one year spending two days just making batches of fudge, one at a time . . . those were the good ole days for me! 





Makes 100 1-inch pieces


12 ounces German sweet chocolate, broken

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels

7 ounces marshmallow creme

4 1/2 cups sugar

13 ounces evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups broken walnuts






Place chocolate bars, morsels and marshmallow creme in a bowl.

Combine sugar, milk, butter and salt in a heavy 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil on high, stirring constantly. When the mixture boils, lower heat to medium and set a timer for 6 minutes. Keep mixture boiling steadily and stir constantly during this time to prevent scorching.

At the end of 6 minutes, pour boiling syrup over chocolate and marshmallow creme. Beat until chocolate is melted and well blended. Beat in the vanilla and nuts.

Pour into a lightly buttered 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Let cool at room temperature for 24 hours. Cut into 1 inch squares and pack in airtight containers.







I have no idea where this recipe came from, but I have used it year after year since I was out on my own.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

1 large roll Pillsbury premixed chocolate chip cookie mix (refrigerator section)
2 (8 oz.) packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Mix cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla with mixer until softened.


Cut cookie mix in half and put 1/2 back in freezer.


Slice dough in 1/4 inch slices and place on bottom of a 9 x 11 inch baking dish.


Blend to cover bottom.


Place cream cheese mix on top of cookie mix.


Take remaining dough and slice in 1/4 inch slices. Place on top of cream cheese mix, leaving spaces between the dough.


Bake 40 minutes.


Cut into 48 brownies when completely cooled.


Refrigerate.



Source:  Foodista

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pie

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pie Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup flour
pinch salt
2-1/3 cups water
1 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (9") pastry shell, baked
Whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles


Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and cocoa, flour and salt.
Gradually add water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture
comes to a boil.

Cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.

Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla.

Pour into pastry shell.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before slicing.

Garnish with whipped cream
and chocolate sprinkles.


Source:  Taste of Home

French Silk Chocolate Pie

CRUST:
1 Pillsbury Refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz. pkg.)

FILLING:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 pasteurized eggs or 1 cup refrigerated or frozen fat-free egg product, thawed

TOPPING:
1/2 cup sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate curls, if desired

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 450. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one-crust baked shell using 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 450 for 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

2. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool. In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating at high speed for 2 minutes after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour into cooled baked shell. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Store in refrigerator.





Recipe Fact
Mrs. Kendall E. Cooper of Silver Spring, Maryland, brought this ultra-rich chocolate pie to the 3rd Bake-Off Contest. Her original recipe included raw eggs, but this updated, safer version calls for pasteurized eggs or egg product.

Source: Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks (#219)
The Best From 50 Years of Bake-Off Contests, May 1999

Chocolate Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water and almond extract, if desired, until cornstarch is dissolved. Gently stir in pie filling; spread mixture evenly on bottom of ungreased 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add 1 cup water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat with spoon until batter is smooth and well blended. Pour batter evenly over cherries.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; invert onto serving plate.

Serve warm with whipped cream . . . wait . . .
vanilla ice cream sounds better :-)

UPDATE:

The concept is awesome, however, the cake in this recipe was dry
 and there were not enough cherries to make a significant topping.

When I make this again, I will use a cake mix and
 double the cherry mixture.


From my personal recipe collection, origin not known

Turtle Praline Tart

1 refrigerated pie pastry
36 caramels
1 C. heavy whipping cream divided
3 1/2 C. pecan halves
1/2 C. semi sweet chocolate chips

On a lightly floured surface unroll pastry. Transfer to an 11" fluted tart pan with removeable bottom; trim edges. Line unpriced pastry with a double thickness of heavy duty foil. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until light golden brown.
In a large saucepan, combine caramels and 1/2 C. cream. Cook and stir over medium low heat until caramels are melted. Stir in pecans. Spread filling evenly into crust.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chips, drizzle over filling. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Whip remaining cream serve with tart.



Source:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DoriesRecipeBox/

Gooey Chocolate Cookies

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. (18 1/4 oz.) chocolate cake mix


In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. Add the cake mix and mix well. The Dough Will Be Sticky.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 F. for 9-11 minutes or until the tops are cracked. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen



Recipe Source: Taste Of Home - Angela Bailey

German Chocolate Turtle Bars

Ingredients:

18 oz. German chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup melted margarine
5 oz. can evaporated milk
14 oz. pkg. caramels (50 candies)
1 cup chopped nuts
6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips


Directions:

Melt caramels with 1/3 cup (1/2 can) evaporated milk.

Mix together cake mix, margarine, 1/3 cup milk and nuts.

Press 1/2 of the cake mixture into 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 6 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour on caramel mixture. Dab remaining dough over caramel layer.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

German Chocolate Pie

4 oz. German chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust

TOPPING:
1-1/3 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 375.

In microwave, melt chocolate and butter on a low setting in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Stir several times during melting process to prevent burning.

When chocolate is melted, stir in sugar, salt, vanilla, cornstarch and beaten eggs until well blended.

Stir in evaporated milk until smooth.

Pour into pie shell.

Mix coconut and pecans together.

Sprinkle them evenly over the chocolate mixture.

Use a knife to cut through the coconut into the chocolate mixture in several places.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set.

(The pie center puffs slightly and the top begins to crack when it is done. If the crust becomes too brown, place a piece of foil over the top of the entire pie for the final 15 minutes of baking.)

A dollop of whipped cream can be added if desired.

Source: 53rd Annual Cookbook - The Parkersburg News & Sentinel, 11/2007

Perfectly Melted Chocolate

Melting chocolate for baking is an exacting task, if not done
perfectly you can end up with a burned or grainy mess and ruin
whatever you are baking. Below are 3 methods for melting chocolate,
each can be successful in it's own way and you need only pick a method
that works for you and get cooking!

In The Oven

Chocolate can be melted in the oven quite easily but you will need to
be very diligent about watching it. It's easy to get caught up in your
other baking chores and not realize that you have overheated it until
it is too late. To melt chocolate in the oven, heat the oven to 110
degrees. Chop the chocolate and place in a dish inside the oven. Keep
the door open and check regularly. It will take about an hour to melt
thoroughly.

Double Boiler Method

This tried and true method uses two pots or a special double boiler
pot. The bottom pot has about an inch of water in it and the top pot
is a bit smaller and rests on the bottom pot. The water should be
heated to just below a simmer. Chop the chocolate and put it in the
top pot. The chocolate should be stirred until melted and you must be
very careful not to get any water mixed in with the chocolate as this
will make it grainy.

Microwave

Using the microwave to melt chocolate can be the fastest but also the
most disastrous method as a couple of seconds of overheating can ruin
the chocolate. Chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl.
Heat on 50% for 1 to 4 minutes - the amount of time needed will depend
on the amount of chocolate you are melting so you will have to watch
the chocolate the whole time. When you see that it is turning shiny
and before it is fully melted, remove it from the oven and stir until
it melts fully.


About the author:
Lee Dobbins is editor of www.online-gourmet-foods.com where you can
learn more about gourmet food and find out more about gourmet chocolate.