Martha's Chocolate-Raspberry Cake

Recipe Adapted from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 percent cacao), melted and cooled
FILLING
24 ounces fresh raspberries (a scant 6 cups)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, then dump some flour in, and shake until coated with a light layer of flour. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk in two batches. Beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in melted chocolate.

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through front to back and top to bottom, until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around edges, then invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cool completely, about 25 minutes. With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so they're level.

Filling: While cakes are baking, stir together 3 cups raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high, stirring frequently and mashing with the back of a spoon, until mixture comes to a boil, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and clings to spoon, 7 to 8 minutes more. (You should have 1 1/3 cups.) Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups raspberries, reserving remainder.

Spread half of filling over one cake. Top with second layer; spread remaining filling over top. Top with final layer, cut-side down. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining raspberries.

Fact: I am terrible at reading recipes lately, and once I get the ingredients together, I put them together using whatever method would work best based on the ingredients. Which is probably how I didn't catch that this should have been made using THREE cake pans. While my cake turned out okay, using three pans would've made it so much easier with the filling and frosting. #whoopsie This cake is RICH, and slightly tangy from the raspberries. I am definitely going to keep baking this chocolate cake recipe, and the frosting is to die for! I used almond extract instead of the raspberry liquor, mostly because I didn't want to buy (let's be honest find in my home) Chambord. I do like almond with raspberry together, so I was pleased with the result.

Cherry Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream

Adapted from Recipe Diaries

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup chocolate chips

2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 15 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups of fresh cherries, pitted and quartered

DIRECTIONS

In a microwave safe bowl, mix chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. Microwave for three 30 second increments, stirring between sessions until chocolate chips have melted, and you have a thick chocolate ganache. Set aside to cool, then crumble.

In a large, chilled bowl, beat with a hand mixer remaining two cups of heavy whipping cream until soft peaks have formed. Add vanilla extract, and continue to beat until stiff peaks have formed. Gently fold in sweetened condensed milk, cherries, and cooled chocolate ganache crumbles.

Freeze in quart sized container of your choice for a minimum of 4 hours, and then serve away!

So, I have never been a fan of cherries that aren't cooked or processed to heck. Maraschino Cherries, Cherry Pie, Cherry Flavor… those are my jam. Regular cherries? Not so much. Then add in the fact that I HATE chocolate chunks/chips/whatever in ice cream, and it makes you wonder why on earth I would ever make a Cherry-Garcia-esque copy cat slash cheater recipe for ice cream. Well, the answer is: we had a bunch of cherries, and I had some heavy cream I needed to get rid of. I decided to make a chocolate ganache to replace the chocolate chunks, because I didn't want to risk breaking my teeth. I am an ice cream chewer. My Grandma Alice really enjoyed this recipe, and I hope that you all will too!

Ultimate Brownies

recipe by Tessa of Handle the Heat
INGREDIENTS
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter, and unsweetened chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute then stir. Continue heating in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is melted and smooth but not scorched. Remove from the microwave and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until light and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and salt, folding gently until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until a tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, 35 to 40. Do not overbake. Let cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I'm in love! I'm in love! and I don't care who knows it! Unfortunately for my family, I am in love with these brownies and not a tall, dark and handsome man that could potentially marry me and take me away. They'll just have to accept my offering of these brownies, and be content with having me single as a dollar and not looking for change. I think they'll be cool with it as long as I keep making these brownies.

S'mores Bars

adapted from A Beautiful Bite

INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
10oz graham crackers, broken into large pieces
1 10oz bag of marshmallows
8 Hershey bars, broken into small pieces

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 17x12 sheet pan.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix over low-medium speed just until incorporated.
Add vanilla and mix over low-medium speed for another minute.
Add flour mixture slowly and mix just until incorporated.
By hand, fold in graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate.
Press into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow bars to cool before serving.

We had a ward campout, and it was really bugging me that we did not eat any s'mores during this campout. Then I realized that I didn't have a s'more ALL  summer. So, since I was in charge of this week's FHE activity, and I am a different kind of lazy, I decided to make these s'mores bars instead of putting on pants (and let's be honest, a bra) and going to the store to buy some edible but not homemade baked goods. I changed the recipe just a little bit, I used mini marshmallows, and I used a half sheet pan instead of a 9x13, because I wanted more of a bar, and less of a tall gooey mess. I also decreased the amount of baking soda from the original recipe, because I am not a fan of cleaning oven messes. I honestly think these turned out pretty dang good.

Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

adapted from recipes by Cookies & Cups and Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS

2 packages Oreos

milk

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup CREAMY peanut butter

1.5 cups powdered sugar

12 oz tub Cool Whip

1 package instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

1 package Reeses Minis

DIRECTIONS

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Set aside.

In a mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Carefully fold in the tub of cool whip. Set aside.

Pour some milk into a small bowl. Then give each Oreo a quick dip. We don't want to soak them, but we want to at least fully immerse them.

Then lay the Oreos flat, in a 13x9 pan until bottom is covered.

Once you have a layer of Oreos, spread half of the peanut butter mixture on top of the Oreos.

Repeat Oreo process. Top this Oreo layer with prepared chocolate fudge pudding, and some of the reeses minis, at your discretion.

Repeat Oreo process, and spread remaining peanut butter mixture on top. 

Garnish with crumbled Oreo cookies, and Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

Cover, and chill for at least 6 hours before serving. So the Oreos have plenty of time to soften up.

S'mores Pie

adapted from Pastry Affair

INGREDIENTS

Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Chocolate Filling
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
10 ounces, semi-sweet chocolate chopped or chips
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, whisked
1 bag of marshmallows

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly coated. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant.

Keep oven running.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream and milk. Warm over medium-low heat. Add in chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Slowly add whisked eggs and mix until smooth.

Pour chocolate filling into baked pie crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chocolate filling is set and does not move when pie is lightly shaken. Remove from oven.

Place marshmallows in concentric circles* over the baked pie. If using large marshmallows, cut the mallows in half using kitchen shears. *unless you're a Rachel.

Set oven to broil. Place pie under the broiler and lightly toast the marshmallows. This can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes, so watch those marshmallows closely!

Chill pie in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours.

To serve, spray a knife with non-stick cooking spray and cut the cold pie into slices. The pie is kind of a pain in the butt to cut while warm, and ends up a big, gooey, chocolate mess.

While the pie can be eaten cold, it is a total #foodgasm when slightly warmed. Heat the pie slices in a microwave for 7-10 seconds before serving for the best results.

Rocky Road Cookies

adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup Mallow Bits
3/4 cup chopped almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract. Mix until blended.

Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until flour disappears. Stir in chocolate chips, Mallow Bits, and chopped almonds. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoons onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies for 8 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but still soft in the center. Don't over bake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Éclair Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1-8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 large box (5.1 ounces) vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
1-8 ounce container Cool Whip
Chocolate Syrup

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400*F.
Lightly grease a baker's half sheet pan. Set aside.
Crust: In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom evenly.
Bake for 18-23 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool.
Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl to smooth out any lumps. Slowly add milk to cream cheese until smooth. Add pudding mix and beat until smooth. The mixture will thicken right up.
Pour onto crust, refrigerate until pudding is set.
Top with Cool Whip and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Then serve to family and friends.

Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

adapted from Picky Palate

INGREDIENTS
24 snack size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
1 large egg
Sea Salt if desired

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Unwrap all Reeses cups and place into a food processor. Pulse until smooth and combined.

Add an egg and pulse until combined.

With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.

With the heel of your hand, press each cookie down to about 1/2 inch thick.

Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked through and edges start to crisp.

Let cool for 15 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies

from Brown Eyed Baker

INGREDIENTS
2 2/3 cups (about 16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.

In the meantime, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop’s worth) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside. Like brownies, do not overbake! Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.

Rolo Cookies

adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Bag of Rolo candies, unwrapped
Sugar (for rolling the cookie dough balls in)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract. Mix until blended.

Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and blend well. Take a spoonful of chocolate cookie dough and wrap around one Rolo candy. Make sure Rolo is completely covered with cookie dough. Roll dough ball in sugar and place on prepared baking sheet. Continue until you run out of cookie dough.

Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Chocolate Reese's Pieces Cookies

adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups Mini Reese's Pieces

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract. Mix until blended.

Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and blend well.

Gently fold in Mini Reese's Pieces. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Salty Chocolate and Caramel Turtle Cookies

adapted from How Sweet It Is

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
8 caramels, chopped into fours

DIRECTIONS
Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy.

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until combined.

Fold in pecans, caramel pieces and chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 4-6 hours (or more). When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350, roll into balls and set on baking sheet. (Note: refrigerating is the most important part. If you don’t refrigerate, when the cookies go into the oven, the caramel pieces will sink to the bottom and stick to the cookie sheet.)

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely, and drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.