Category: Desserts

Chocolate love

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Years ago when we were living in “the Village” at the U of U, I discovered this chocolate pudding recipe and have been making it on a monthly basis (sometimes weekly) ever since.  My parent’s nick-named it “chocolate love” and it has become a standard at family cabin outings and even Sunday night visits.  Although it stands on its own quite well, it’s best served with a scoop or two of plain vanilla ice cream.  Yummy!

2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 Tbsp corn starch

2 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa and corn starch.  Bring to a slow boil.  When large bubbles appear, reduce heat to low and add egg yolks and vanilla.  Whisk constantly for one minute. Remove from heat.  Immediately strain through a mesh sieve into a large bowl.    Divide into four to six bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream.

NOTE:  The thickness of this pudding varies from time to time.  When made by my husband, the consistency tends to be quite thick. Whereas when I make it, it tends to be slightly fluid.  Either way, it is delicious.  If there is any left over, it will keep for a day or two in the fridge as long as it is covered with plastic wrap placed directly on the pudding to avoid forming a “skin.”

Most Incredible Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

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chewy chocolate chip cookiesThis recipe really is at the top of the charts for cookies. It was developed by America’s Test Kitchen for the New Best Cookbook, and it really is the best. They taste better than any gourmet cookie I’ve ever purchased, and freeze well (after they’re cooked) if you want to save yourself from eating them all in one sitting.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. + 2 T. flour (sometimes I’ve needed up to 1/4 c. more for texture)
1/2 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
12 T. butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and slightly cooled
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg +1 egg yolk
2 t. vanilla
1-1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 325. Put racks in upper-middle and lower-middle position. Spray or line baking sheets with parchment paper (Important!).

Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. In a mixer, beat sugars and butter until combined. Add eggs and then vanilla. Then add flour mixture and stir until combined. Add chocolate chips. (This dough comes together very quickly and can be made entirely by hand if you don’t have a mixer.)

Shaping; an essential part in getting these cookies to turn out looking like coffee shop’s cookies is the shaping. If you can’t be bothered, just drop them on the sheet. If you are intrigued, scoop a good-sized ball (1 1/2″-2″) of dough in your hands. Roll it into a ball, and then pull it apart.  Turn each palm until the jagged inside is now facing the ceiling and then push the two halved back together to form one cookie. Thus, the rounded part is now the bottom of the cookie, and what was the inside of the ball is now the top of the cookie. Place on the cookie sheet and repeat with remaining dough. These cookies spread a little, so give them a good 1& 1/2″ between each cookie. Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating the two sheets halfway through.

Tres Leches Cake

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You know when a 9×13 cake disappears in one sitting with only four eaters that it has to be good. This is quite fabulous. I think they serve something like this at Cafe Rio, but I’m willing to venture that this is much, much better.

Tres Leches Cake

With a little cinnamon on top, for effect.

2009 America Test Kitchen Yearbook

Milk Mixture
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 t. vanilla

Cake
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
8 T (1 stick) butter
1 c. whole milk
4 large eggs, room temperature [to do this quickly, you can place cold eggs in warm water while you assemble other ingredients]
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla

Frosting
1 c. heavy cream
3 T. light corn syrup
1 t. vanilla extract

For milk mixture: Pour the condensed milk into a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (if it’s not large enough, the mixture will bubble over. I had multiple problems with this, and recommend using a very large bowl. Tell me if it works). Microwave on low power, replacing the plastic wrap and stirring every 3 minutes. After 9-15 minutes, the mixture should be thicker and darker. In another bowl, combine evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the cooked sweetened condensed milk into this mixture and set aside to cool.

For cake: Preheat oven to 325 and grease and flour a 13×9 baking dish. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the butter and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and set aside. In a standing mixer, beat the eggs for 30 seconds, then add the sugar slowly. Increase the speed to med.-high and beat for 6-7 minutes. Reduce speed and add the vanilla, and then the butter mixture. Add the flour in 3 additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Pour batter into prepared dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

After ten minutes of cooling, use the blunt end of a skewer to make holes about 1/2″ apart all over the cake. Pour the milk mixture slowly over the cake until it is completely absorbed. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 3 or up to 24 hours.

For frosting: Beat cream, corn syrup, and vanilla to soft peaks with a mixer. Frost and serve.

Note: I had trouble with the dulce de leche in the microwave, and I would love to hear how it worked for others. I also didn’t frost the cake–it seemed a little like gilding the lily, but perhaps it would just make a great thing even better.

Martha’s Mississippi Mud Pie

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I’ve made this recipe twice in the last six weeks, and I’ve decided it’s the perfect summer dessert. I used oreos as the wafer cookies (cream and all), and it turns out great. Very simple, too.

Martha’s Mississippi Mud Pie

  • 25 chocolate wafer cookies (about half a 9-ounce package)
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more for garnish
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons, cold, cut into small pieces
  • 2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, grind wafers and pecans until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; process until moistened. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie plate; press into bottom and up sides (use the base of a dry measuring cup to help). Bake until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool.
  2. Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. A few tablespoons at a time, whisk in milk, being sure to incorporate the cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
  3. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, cook mixture until the first large sputtering bubble forms. Reduce heat to low; continuing to whisk constantly, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir in teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons cold butter.
  4. Pour pudding into crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Just before serving, beat cream, remaining teaspoon sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pudding, and sprinkle with pecans.

Chewy Oatmeal Bars

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This is another Everyday Food Recipe that I really like. It’s simple, surprisingly flavorful, and quick to prepare. I’ve added milk and butterscotch chips before, but next time I think I’ll try white. Although I like chocolate, the bars were just as delicious without the chips. Pecans might be a good addition as well, but my kids don’t like them . . .

Martha’s Oatmeal Bars

Molasses Spice Cookies: If cookies could sing, this would be opera

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Molasses Spice Cookies
From the New Best Recipe Cookbook

2 1/4  c. all-purpose flour (Pillsbury or Gold Medal work the best in this recipe)
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. finely ground black pepper
1/4 t. salt
12 T. butter, softened but still cool
1/3 c. dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus 1/2 c. for rolling
1 large egg yolk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. light or dark molasses

1.    Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

2.    Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.

3.    Either by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the butter with the brown sugar and the 1/3 c. granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the yolk and vanilla; increase the speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and add the molasses; beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting; add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl once. Give the dough a final stir by hand to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at the bottom. The dough will be soft.

4.    Place the 1/2 c. granulated sugar for rolling in a shallow bowl. With wet hands (to prevent the dough from sticking), roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball. Drop into the sugar and coat. Set on the baking sheet 2 inches apart.

5.    Bake until the cookies are browned and still puffy, the edges have begun to set, and the centers are still soft (the cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes. Do not overbake.

6.    Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.