Double Chocolate Muffins #Choctoberfest

It has been a while since I posted a recipe but this one was necessary.  It was suppose to be cold and rainy the next few days.  Anticipating some wild little ones, I whipped up these double chocolate muffins for treats and breakfast.

As I mentioned yesterday in the #Choctoberfest welcome post, #Choctoberfest is an annual recipe-sharing event. I'm joining other food bloggers from around the world to create delicious chocolate recipes. This year, over 70 bloggers are joining together for a week full of chocolate cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, tarts, candies, and more. Check out the welcome post for ways to enter the awesome giveaway.

Double Chocolate Muffins

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast chocolate

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Ingredients (12 muffins)

• 1/2 cup canola oil vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F and line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

In large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, and milk. Stir in eggs and vanilla until well-combined.

Gently fold in sour cream until just-combined.

In separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Fold flour mixture gently into wet mixture, folding until just barely combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop chocolate muffin batter into prepared muffin tin, filling 2/3-3/4 of the way full.

Bake on 375F for 12 minutes (toothpick inserted in center should come out with a few crumbs.

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Unicorn Cosmic Brownies with Sprinkle Pop #Choctoberfest 2018

This post is sponsored by Sprinkle Pop.

Little Debbie cosmic brownies were the best when I was little. Not only did you get a fudgy brownie, but it had frosting and SPRINKLES! 

Do you like sprinkles? I kind of feel like sprinkles make everything just a little bit better.  My 3.5 year thinks it is a dream come true to get ice cream with sprinkles.  Sprinkle Pop creates custom bespoke sprinkle blends, dyed in house to match any idea a customer may have. If you can dream it, they can create it as a sprinkle mix.

If you are not that creative there are plenty of cool combinations for sale on their website.  I loved the seasonal creations.  I got the Unicorn themed blend because as I mentioned I have a 3.5 year.  Unicorns. Sprinkles. Yes, please.  

I got some Mickey Mouse ones too to show some love for my little boy but I am pretty sure my daughter will find a way to make them hers as well. 

If you are looking to take any bake good up a notch head over to Sprinkle Pop. You will not be disappointed. 

Thanks to Sprinkle Pop for providing these adorable sprinkle blends.

Here is the full recipe and be sure to scroll down to see the other chocolate recipes being shared today for #Chotoberfest 2018.  And don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway here. 

Unicorn Cosmic Brownies

by Life on Food

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Keywords: bake chocolate brownies

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Ingredients (24 brownies)

For the Brownies

• 1¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ¾ c. natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 c. sugar
• ⅔ c. brown sugar
• ¾ c. (1½ sticks) butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. whole milk
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Fudge Ganache

• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ c. milk chocolate chips
• ½ c. heavy cream

Instructions

For the Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil and lightly spray with baking spray such as Pam, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat melted butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated.

In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. With mixing speed on low, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk. Mix just until combined.

Remove bowl from stand and pour batter into prepared pan. The batter will be thick, so using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer. Place in oven and bake for 18-25 minutes (I live in high altitude so my bars tend to bake quicker). The brownies will be done, so do not over-bake or you will have dry brownies! Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan.

For the Fudge Ganache

In a 2 c. glass measuring cup, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave on half powder (mine is usually power 10, so I did 5) for one minute, stir, then repeat. Stir chocolate until all of the chips are melted and it becomes smooth. Beat for 1 minute and then pour over the top of the brownies. Spread evenly and sprinkle with desired toppings.

Serve warm or cold.

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Parisian Drinking Chocolate #Choctoberfest 2018

This post is sponsored by Forte Chocolates.

One of the best things about my time abroad in Paris was exploring the many Parisian food wonders.  A favorite was their chocolat chaud.  This wasn't just hot chocolate as known in the States but more like a thick melted chocolate drink. It was marvelous and such an indulgence. 

Forte's motto is "Celebrate Life Through Chocolate". I cannot think of a better way to celebrate life than with a mug full of this Parisian Drinking Chocolate.

This recipe may be small but a mug of this stuff really packs a punch. You steam whole milk on the stove top. Once it is piping hot, remove the pot and add chocolate, vanilla, espresso powder, and a touch of sea salt.

Slowly stir in all of the wonderful flavors.  The milk will thicken and turn into a rich chocolate treat. 

Thanks to Forte Chocolates for sponsoring this post and providing the different chocolates from their new Gusto line. The white chocolate balsamic vinaigrette is so versatile for use in both sweet and savory dishes. 

Check out their website and enter the code CHOCTOBERFEST2018 to get a buy 3 get 1 free discount on their bars.

Here is the full recipe and be sure to scroll down to see the other chocolate recipes being shared today for #Chotoberfest 2018.  And don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway here. 

Parisian Style Drinking Chocolate

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

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Ingredients (2 cups)

• ¾ cup whole milk
• 4 oz good-quality bittersweet chocolate (about 72% cacao), chopped
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in ½ teaspoon hot water
• 1 small pinch sea salt

Instructions

Heat the milk in a small pot over medium heat until steaming.

Whisk in the chocolate until smooth and creamy, then add the vanilla, dissolved espresso powder, and sea salt.

Return to the heat and cook until steaming again.

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Cocoa Brownies #Choctoberfest 2018

This post was sponsored by Imperial Sugar.

Yesterday I mentioned it’s #Choctoberfest! What’s #Choctoberfest, you might ask? Well, this is the annual fall celebration of chocolate recipes. Of course, we love chocolate recipes all the time, but during #Choctoberfest, I join over 100 other bloggers to post yummy chocolate recipes and talk about sponsors, who give away some awesome prizes. Check out the amazing giveaway here. 

With two small kids there is never a shortage of things to do. Laundry. Picking up toys. Making meals. Snuggles. You get so caught up in the now I sometimes forget about the bigger picture.  My world is where my kids are and what they are doing. Now. This second.  I forget things around the world continue and existed way before my little ones came along. Take Imperial Sugar for instance. 

In 1843, along the banks of Oyster Creek in what would later become Sugar Land, the Williams brothers built a mule-powered sugar mill, began grinding sugar cane, and a Texas legacy was born. The Imperial Sugar Company is the one of the oldest continuously operating companies in the State of Texas and was founded by one of the original 100 families brought to the state by Stephen F. Austin.

For 175 years, Imperial Sugar has been a trusted name in family kitchens all across the south. Sweet things happen when people come together in the kitchen, and that’s why Imperial Sugar has been at the heart of family traditions and celebrations for generations. We’re the secret ingredient in family-favorite recipes handed down from one generation to another. Home cooks know that when you bake with love and Imperial Sugar, that’s when memories are made.

Imperial Sugar provides high-quality sugar and sweetener products and over 100 years of time-tested recipes. Our family of products includes granulated sugar, light and dark brown sugar, free-flowing sugar, powdered sugar, sugar shakers and Steviacane® (Stevia + sugar blend). Imperial Sugar products are 100% pure cane sugar, non-GMO and provide consistently delicious results.

I used brown sugar in this recipe. In all of the brownie recipes I have made over the years I never, ever used brown sugar.  What was I doing?!?!  These are fudgy and gooey in all of the right ways. 

Here is the full recipe and be sure to scroll down to see all of the other yummy chocolate recipes posted today.

Cocoa Brownies

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: bake chocolate brownies

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Ingredients (16 brownies)

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar, sifted
• 1 cup brown sugar, sifted
• 8 ounces melted butter
• 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

Hello again! It has been a long time.  We are still here.  Barely. January can be summed up with one statement.  Fighting illnesses, viruses and colds.  Despite hunkering down inside we have all been battling nastiness. 

It was not fun. Hopefully we are all on the mend now and stay that way till Spring.  I actually made these bars way back in December but never got around to posting about them.  (I considered getting laundry down a win last month.)

These bars are so good. They make a ton and are super filling. The fact that there is so much oatmeal in them makes me think they are healthy too.  :)  You get a hint of cinnamon and the sweetness of the chocolate.  Because even a small pan makes so many it is a great option for potlucks and any group gathering. Super Bowl party?

Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert biscoff chocolate oatmeal bar

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Ingredients (16 bars)

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk (from 14-ounce can)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened

Instructions

Heat chocolate chips and milk in 1-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; set aside.

Heat oven to 350°. Spray square pan, 8x8, with cooking spray.

Mix flour, 1/2 cup oats, the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; set aside.

Stir brown sugar, oil, vanilla and egg product in medium bowl with fork until smooth; stir into flour mixture until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup dough in small bowl for topping.

Pat remaining dough in pan. Spread chocolate mixture over dough. Add 2 tablespoons oats and the butter to reserved dough; mix with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Drop small spoonfuls of oat mixture evenly over chocolate mixture.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden and firm. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

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Snickers Pie

Happy New Year's Eve!  Are you doing anything special?  We are hunkering down in the house, binge watching Homeland, and ordering Chinese takeout.  I cannot wait to get started.

This Snickers Pie has been floating around the internet for a while.  From the minute I saw it I knew eventually it would find its way to my kitchen.  I took a few recipes, used the most healthy additions, and then took some store bought short cuts.

Instead of making my own crust, I bought an Oreo crust pre-made.  The recipe below describes how to make caramel sauce.  I used fancy caramel sauce I received as a gift a few months ago.  Total hands on time was about 20 minutes.

While you are waiting for it to set, feel free to scrape the blender clean. Mr. J and I were arguing over the spatula.   He was shocked when I said there was soy milk and tofu in the pudding mixture.  And then he ate some more.

Snickers Pie

by Emily Morris, Adapted from Eat, Live, Run

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: dessert chocolate pie

Ingredients (serves 8)

for filling

• 1/2 cup chocolate soy milk
• 12 oz dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 oz silken tofu

for serving

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 10 oz caramels, unwrapped and chopped roughly + 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• flaky sea salt

Instructions

Make the chocolate pudding filling by melting the chocolate chips using a double boiler or in a large metal bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Once they’ve melted, add the chocolate soymilk, the vanilla extract and the tofu. Whisk well. Place mixture in a blender or vita-mix and process for about thirty seconds, or until completely smooth.

Pour mixture into pie shell and place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

To finish the pie, melt the caramels with the cream over low heat in a small pot. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Spread the cream over the chocolate and drizzle the caramel on top. Scatter the peanuts and flaky sea salt all over to top.

Pie can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge.

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Peanut Butter Blossoms

Hello Hello!  Things have not slowed down one bit since I last checked in but I did manage to do a bit of holiday baking this weekend.  I made the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms first.  These are Mr. J's favorite cookies this time of year. 

It was a family affair as Miss O helped unwrap the chocolates.  She also did a very good job of taking the unwrapped chocolate from the finished container.  She just didn't want to give up the chocolate. I cannot say I blame her but it got to the point I wasn't sure we would have enough to finish the cookies.  

I hope to do a bit more baking before Christmas but my list far exceeds the amount of sweets we will be able to consume.  

Peanut Butter Blossoms

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert chocolate peanut butter cookie

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Ingredients (36 cookies)

• 36 Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup additional granulated sugar for rolling 

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

Beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar, if desired; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges.

Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 36 cookies.

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Double Chocolate Caramel Bread

Are you in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving prep?  If so you may want to take a quick break and make this bread.  I was never a true fan of pumpkin pie. I would have my own slice on Thanksgiving and be good for the year.  If I can sneak in a different dessert I do.  This double chocolate caramel bread can be just that. Or if you just need a chocolate break before all the happenings begin I highly recommend making a loaf. 

This loaf has a double dose of chocolate with both cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips. The caramel on top is an extra bonus.  Just what you need for a extra bump of energy. 

Served with butter or with some extra caramel sauce to be more indulgent.  It is the season after all.   

Double Chocolate Caramel Bread

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: bake bread dessert caramel chocolate

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Ingredients (1 loaf)

• 1/2 cup room temperature butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp (8 grams) baking powder
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup caramel

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9X5 loaf pan. Set aside.

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl down after each addition. Then add the vanilla extract and combine.

Add the plain yogurt and flour mixture alternately in three additions.

Pour the batter into the baking pan, scoop the caramel on top and with a butter knife mix it into the chocolate bread batter.

Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean, about 50 minutes.  Leave to cool slightly before removing from pan.

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