FOR THE COOKIES

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

FOR THE FILLING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sifted confectioner’s (powdered) sugar

1 jar marshmallow Fluff (also called Marshmallow Creme)

2 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

Drop about 2 teaspoons dough (I used a small cookie scoop) onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add Fluff and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined.

Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies.  Top each with one of the remaining cookies, flat side down, and gently press together.

Melt chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip, or a small parchment cone, or a small sandwich baggie with a corner tip cut out.  Pipe chocolate in a spiral pattern on top of each pie.  Let chocolate set before serving, about 1 hour.

I made this as cupcakes and skipped the chocolate curls. I modified the baking time to about 24 minutes. These also freeze well. I froze them (with frosting) for a week and they tasted great. 

Planning Tip: Can be made through Step 4 and refrigerated airtight 3 days or frozen 2 weeks. Frosting can be refrigerated 3 days. Curls can be stored in a cool place 1 week.

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/3 cups boiling water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened
21/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting
8 oz white chocolate, melted as pkg directs, cooled to room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 oz cream cheese, softened
5 Tbsp stick butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Garnish: Chocolate Curls (directions follow)

1. Position racks to divide oven in thirds. Heat to 350°F. Coat three 9-in. or 8 x 2-in. round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with wax paper.

2. Stir cocoa and boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; let cool.

3. Meanwhile mix next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat next 4 ingredients with mixer on high speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add cool cocoa; beat until blended. Scrape bowl. On low speed, beat in flour mixture just to blend, scraping bowl once. Spoon into prepared pans; smooth surfaces. Stagger pans on oven racks.

4. Bake 24 to 31 minutes (depending on pan size) until a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Run knife around edges; invert on rack, remove paper and cool completely.

5. Frosting: Beat ingredients on low speed to blend. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

6. To assemble: Place 1 cake layer on serving plate, bottom side up. Spread with 1/3 the Frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, swirling frosting on top. Garnish with Chocolate Curls.

Chocolate Curls Line mini loaf pan or make a 31/2 x 2 x 11/4-in. pan with a double thickness foil. Melt 4 oz white chocolate, pour into pan; chill until firm. Peel off foil. Soften at room temperature 30 minutes. Pull a swivel-blade vegetable peeler along side of bar to form curls (if curls break, soften chocolate more). Repeat with 4 oz milk chocolate.

Preheat oven to 400 F

Measure and set aside:

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Combine in a large saucepan:

      1/2 cup water

      1/2 cup whole milk

      8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

      1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook and stir the mixture for about 1 minute, to eliminate excess moisture. The butter may ooze out, which is fine; it simply means that the moisture is evaporating. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Beat in 1 at a time:

            4 large eggs

Make sure that the paste is smooth before adding the next egg. Beat the dough until it’s smooth and shiny.

Scoop the paste into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1 inch tip for large éclairs or a 1/2 inch tip for minis. Shape the paste into 8 to 10 large or 24 miniature éclairs.  Bake the eclairs at 400 F for 15 minutes. Reduce the temp. to 350 F and bake until golden brown and very firm to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes for minis and 25 to 30 minutes for large éclairs. Turn off the oven, poke the short end of the éclairs, and let dry in oven for 10 minutes.

Prepare:

3 cups Pastry Cream (recipe to follow)

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4 inch tip with the pastry cream. Poke the pastry tip into the drying hole in each éclair and pip full. Or cut off the top third of the éclair horizontally with the serrated knife for the lids. Remove any uncooked dough and spoon the filling into the eclairs. 

Dip the top of each eclaire into:

            Chocolate Ganach Glaze (recipe to follow)

Refrigerate the éclairs, chocolate side up, until glaze is set. Eclairs are best on the day they are made.

Pastry Cream

In a medium bowl, beat on high speed until thick and pail yellow, about 2 minutes:

            1/2 cup sugar

            2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

            2 tablespoons cornstarch

            4 large egg yolks

Meanwhile, combine in a medium stainless-steel or enamel saucepan and bring to a simmer:

            1 1/2 cups milk

Gradually pour about one third of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring the combine. Scrape the egg mixture back into the pan and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan to prevent scorching, over low to medium heat until the custard is thickened and begins to bubble. Then continue to cook, whisking for 45 to 60 seconds. Using a clean spatula, scrape the custard into a clean bowl.

Stir in:

            3/4 teaspoon vanilla.

Cover the surface of the custard with a piece of wax or parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool, then refrigerate before using.

Chocolate Ganach Glaze

Bring to a boil in a a small saucepan:

            3/4 cup heavy cream

Remove from the heat and add:

            8 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped (or chocolate chips)

Stir until most of the chocolate is melted. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir or whisk very gently until completely smooth.

Stir in:

            1 tablespoon liqueur, or more to taste (optional)

Cool until it becomes the desired texture. 

2 cups rolled oats

2 cupts all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces

1.         Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.         Lightly grease cookie sheets.

3.         Combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

4.         Beat together shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract.

5.         Stir oat-flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture; stir in chocolate pieces.

6.         Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned

Cupcakes: 
1 box chocolate cake mix 
Orange juice (instead of water in cake mix) 
½ 

 1/2 teaspoon

vanilla extract

1 orange, zested

Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons butter, softened (1/2 stick)

2 tablespoons lemon juice (you can substitute with 2 tablespoons limoncello)

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 orange, zested

Special equipment: cupcake liners, 2 muffin pans

To make the cupcakes: mix the chocolate cake mix according to package instructions, substituting orange juice for the water. Line the muffin pan with the cupcake liners. Fill and bake the cupcakes according to package instructions. Let the cupcakes cool for 1 hour on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting: combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Using a small spatula, place about 1 tablespoon of frosting on top of each cupcake.

Ingredients:1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 8 graham crackers)2 cups of chocolate chips1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk1/2 cup of butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a saucepan.Pour melted butter into an 13×9Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs into pan, and mix well with melted butter to form a crust.Layer on top of graham-cracker crust chocolate chips, coconut and pecans.Evenly pour sweetened condensed milk over everything.Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, top should be light brown.Let cool in pan for at least half an hour, cut into bars and serve.

So, my mother in law gave us a sourdough “mother” and now I have to figure

out how to keep it alive. It’s like having a dog. But nothing like it. It’s

like having a kid and forgetting to feed it. No it’s not. I do have to say

it has the consistency of a chocolate chip scone… good stuff!

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. shortening (you can substitute butter, 1 for 1, but NOT margarine. I

guess there’s water in Margerine).

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

1 egg

1 c. sourdough starter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Chocolate chips

Combine sugar, shortening, add eggs, sourdough, vanilla. In another bowl mix

flour, baking powder, soda, add chocolate chips. Combine all ingredients in

a large bowl. Mix well, let rest 15 minutes. Shape into walnut-sized balls.

Flatten. Pre-heat oven to 375  - Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for

10-15 minutes. Cool slightly before taking off cookie sheet. Makes 4 dozen

small. 2 dozen big.

An Original Recipe from Rachel Rappaport @ www.CoconutLime.blogspot.comor http://tinyurl.com/3y4dvr

Ingredients:

4 oz semisweet chocolate chips PLUS 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips1/3 cup all-purpose flour1/3 cup dark brown sugar2 tablespoons butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line with parchment paper, use a Silpat, or grease one cookie sheet. In a small pot, melt together 4 oz chocolate and butter, mix until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat together egg, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Drop 12 tablespoons of dough evenly placed about 1 1/2 inches apart onto the lined cookie sheet. Bake, until cookies are crackly, about 12 minutes. The cookies should still be soft. Do not over bake. Cool on sheets until about 95% cool then carefully transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.Yield: One dozen cookies

Ingredients
8 ounces Andes mints, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks
Directions
1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped Andes mint chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2.    In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.  Let dough set for about 10 minutes before putting on baking sheets.  You may also refrigerate the dough for a bit if it doesn’t seem stiff enough.
3.    Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.
Makes 2 dozen

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

This cookie recipe is a great one to prepare for after holiday thank

you gifts.  The cookies are also good any time of the year as a

wonderful treat!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter

• 1 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• 2 large eggs

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• green mint wafers (or mix peppermint chocolate as directed below)

Directions

In a large saucepan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until

butter is melted.  Add chocolate chips and stir until partially

melted.  Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is

completely melted.  Pour into a large mixer bowl and let stand 10

minutes to cool.  Mix at high speed and beat in eggs one at a time.

Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients.  Mix until just blended.

Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour

until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with foil.  Roll

teaspoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets 2 inches apart.  Bake 12-13

minutes and NO longer.  Cookies should come out of the oven looking

slightly underdone.  They will crisp when cool.

Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, place one mint

wafer on top of each cookie.  Allow mints to soften; then swirl to

cover cookie.  Peppermint chocolate can be placed on top of cookies

instead of wafers.  See note below.  Sprinkles can be added at this

point if desired.

Making Peppermint Chocolate

You will need 1 cup white chocolate and peppermint extract to make

this.  Melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl by

microwaving for 30 secs and then stirring. Repeat until chocolate is

partially melted.  Remove from microwave and continue stirring until

chocolate is completely melted.  At this point add 2-4 drops of

peppermint extract and food coloring if desired.