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Baked Chocolate Donuts
Breakfast in bed may be a Valentine’s Day staple for some, but if you let me sleep in then wrap me in a fluffy robe, I’m happy to whip up a treat like these baked chocolate donuts. Skip the hot oil and heat up the oven instead to fill the kitchen with the rich scent of cocoa in the morning – or make them the night before and set the table in advance for the most indulgent breakfast, one that simply requires plating. Steeped in lore and made from the seeds of a tree whose scientific name is equally romantic – food of the gods – chocolate sets the tone…
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Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
With a scarlet cranberry filling and a golden top studded with coconut and chunks of chocolate, these layered cookies are as pretty as they are delicious. Bake them like cookie bars then use cookie cutters to create shapes of various sizes. On the plate this gives the same effect as ornaments on the Christmas tree. As everyone plucks their favorite from the tray, replace them one by one for a dessert plate that flickers before everyone’s eyes. Ingredients Cranberry Filling 1 ½ cups cranberries ¾ cup granulated sugar ¾ cup water 2 tablespoons Cointreau 2 tablespoons cornstarch Cookie Bar Base 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup unsweetened flake coconut ⅓…
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
Of all the classic candy combinations, chocolate and peanut butter may be my favorite, and I judge this by how often I swipe a piece of this bark when it’s out on my counter. I also judge it by how often I taste the ingredients while I’m making it. If tending a pool of glossy melted chocolate is not for you, then you might not find any enjoyment in whipping up this recipe. Otherwise, swirling these companions together could become one of your favorite candy making (and sampling) activities too. Ingredients 8 ounces chopped dark chocolate (semi-sweet or bittersweet) ⅓ cup peanut butter chips ¼ cup natural creamy peanut butter…
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Rustic Chocolate Chip Cookies
The ultimate chocolate chip cookie is an ideal every baker aspires to achieve. The challenge is that we each have a different, and sometimes contradictory, concept of what makes the perfect one. Crispy but chewy. Crunchy but soft. Add to that the vastly different preferences of family and friends, and you can see why you might want to master a few recipes based on who’s going to be indulging in your cookie stash. When I created this recipe, I wanted a cookie that gave a satisfying crunch and deep color at the edges, but with a buttery, softer middle. The resulting version is just that – crunchy and crispy right…
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Chocolate Squares with Honeyed Apricots and Coconut
A dark pool of bittersweet chocolate, dried apricots dripping in honey, and a bit of salt sitting on the counter create a satisfying push and pull even before this confection comes together. Sweetness will be tempered. When the fluidity of stirred chocolate is interrupted by the addition of dried coconut, feel yet another pull – the disruptive change from smooth to speckled. Taste your way through this recipe as you drizzle, melt, and pinch to create tempting squares that invoke the Mediterranean and the tropics. The liquid confection is so delicious that you may need to remind yourself to spread it out and let it harden rather than eat it…
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