Butterbeer Hot Chocolate

We had no classes on Wednesday for Veteran's Day/Armistice Day, and so for the first time this semester I had enough time and will to go out and buy a broom and go to a quidditch game. And I am totally regretting that I didn't go until now. So much fun! If you're in college and you haven't played or if your area has an adult league, highly recommend it. Seriously, running around with a broom between your legs is ten times more fun than any other sport could ever hope to be. It's like soccer, dodgeball, and football combined.

And on that related note, it was also freezing cold and raining and the miserable, slow descent into winter with the so cold but just above freezing rain and sleet is continuing here, so it's time to bring out the hot chocolate. And what better way than with butterbeer?

If you make the original recipe (linked below), it'll taste a lot like the Butterbeer Cupcakes I made a few weeks ago. And I did try it with the pumpkin, but I couldn't get past the grainy texture, so I revised it a bit and eliminated the pumpkin and cut back on the cinnamon.

Still delicious :)  

"You and I" Ingrid Michaelson

(I'm going to visit a friend this weekend and this song always makes me think of her.)

Adapted from Half-Baked Harvest

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups whole milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup butterscotch sauce (recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional) (consider it your very own firewhiskey ;) )
• For Butterscotch Cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce (homemade recipe below)
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds removed or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For Butterscotch Sauce
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

Directions

Add the milk to a large heavy bottomed pot. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, milk chocolate, butterscotch sauce, vanilla, butter and bourbon (if using). Place the pot over medium low heat until the milk is scalding, but not boiling. Be sure to stir the pot often to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and burning.

Meanwhile, make the butterscotch whipped cream. Add the cream to a large mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla bean and whip until combined. Stir in the butterscotch, leaving streaks in the whipped cream. Keep in the fridge until read to serve.

Once the hot chocolate is steaming, ladle into mugs and dollop with cream. 

!For Butterscotch Sauce

Melt the butter in a small sauce pot. Add the brown sugar, heavy cream and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon, if using.

Chocolate-Coconut Macaroons and Chocolate Dipped Apricots

 

I joined the Leftover's Club last month, and shipped my fist box of leftovers last week. 

I had some trouble settling on what to ship. What wouldn't break up into crumbs if it was shaken too much in the mail? What wouldn't go bad or melt in the oppressive heat? After scouring pages of recipe books and the far reaches of the internet, I finally found these chocolate-coconut macaroons.

They are so easy and so crunchy and chocolatey!

I ate a few too many! (They are really good!) So I supplemented them with chocolate-dipped apricots.

You just dip dried apricots in melted chocolate and sprinkle on the chopped almonds.

These are the delicious jam-filled white chocolate cookies I received from Shashi at Runnin' Srilankan

"Space Cowboy" Steve Miller

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high power for 1 minute. Stir and then heat for another minute until completely melted. 

In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the egg whites and vanilla with a fork. Stir the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Add the melted chocolate chips to the batter, andm ix with a rubber spatula to combine.

Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop out small rounds of dough - about 1 1/2 tbsp each- onto parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between cookies. Using your fingertips, shape each cookie into a neat little dome. If the batter is too sticky, wash your hands thoroughly and leave them a bit wet.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until they are slightly crisp on the outside but still soft inside. Do not over-bake. Transfer the macaroons to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Double Chocolate Muffines

The second of my APUSH muffins and the most popular, this chocolate muffin recipe is one that will bury your guilt for eating chocolate for breakfast.

"King and Lionheart" Of Mice and Men

From The Brown-Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
2. Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Do not overmix the batter. Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 My friend's grandpa died this week, so I made a box of treats to help her feel better.

Fair warning, these fall apart like nothing else.

Mainly because they're pure butter.

"London Calling" The Clash

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions

 Preheat oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

DROP dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.

BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cheescake Bars

My sister saw these on For The Love of Cooking. Best Cookie Bars EVER.

 

Just a warning, we finished these off in one afternoon!

"King of Anything" Sara Bareilles

It's been stuck in my head all week!

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 3 tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 1 cup of chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:

• 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla

 Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil an 8 inch square baking pan.

Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. Beat the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, and vanilla together using a mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the flour to the butter mixture until just combined then add the chocolate chips and mix. Spread half of the mixture in the 8 inch square pan.
For the cheesecake filling, place the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla together into a bowl then beat, using a mixer, until creamy and smooth. Carefully spread the cheesecake batter onto the cookie dough. Spread the remaining cookie dough on top. Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top (cookie dough) feels dry and firm and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Lift bars out by the overhang; slice and store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy.