Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes Recipe As I mentioned on Friday, I have been doing some experimentation with the beer and chocolate combination. The Guinness-chocolate ice cream that I made totally kicked butt, so I couldn’t wait to see how I liked beer and chocolate in my cake. The answer? I like it, a whole heck of a lot. This was my first time doing Guinness-chocolate cakes, and I was totally optimistic that I would love it, and I was definitely right. These cupcakes are fashioned after the popular drink that consists of a shot of Baileys Irish Cream and Irish whiskey dropped into a pint of Guinness. These cupcakes consist of a Guinness-chocolate cake base, which has a wonderful depth of flavor and is also supremely moist. While you can’t really taste the beer in the cupcakes (it serves as more of a flavor enhancer for the chocolate), you can definitely taste the alcohol in the filling and the frosting. I think I need to start converting more drinks into baked goods, this was too much fun (and way delicious!).
Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese Sandwich A guacamole grilled cheese sandwich has been on my to try list for a while now and since I was making the bacon guacamole on the weekend I figured I would just pick up double the ingredients and make both. The basic idea behind this grilled cheese is quite simple and it started out with just adding guacamole to a grilled cheese but with the success of combining salty bacon-y magnificence with cool and creamy guacamole I could not resist adding a few slices of bacon to the sandwich. I also had some leftover corn tortilla chips from dipping on the weekend so I decided to crumble a few of them and add them to the sandwich for texture. Like all grilled cheese sandwiches this one is pretty easy to make though you want to try to remember to pull the guacamole out of the fridge early so that it can come up to room temperature before adding it to the sandwich. Does this grilled cheese sandwich look good? Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese Sandwich Servings: makes 1 sandwich Printable Recipe Directions
Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars These are the most addictive baked good I've made in a long time. Not that a lot of other things I've baked haven't been delicious but these were just deadly. Not only are the flavours delicious (chocolate + marshmallow + peanut butter) but the texture combination is great too. Fudgey brownie, gooey marshmallow, chocolate peanut butter with rice krispies. I'm really hungry for dinner right now so I can't think of much else to say about these - just know that your life is incomplete without them. If this sounds good, you might also like:Oreo Crunch Brownie BarsChocolate ScotcheroosHello Dolly BarsWhite Chocolate Brownies Marshmallow Crunch Brownie BarsAdapted from Buttercup Bakes at Home found on Nosh With Me & Culinary Concoctions by Peabody Note: Most marshmallows contain gelatin (an animal product). Topping Ingredients:1 bag mini marshmallows (I think mine was 7 oz)1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
How to Eat a Pomegranate - emptyage They're deliciously tricky. Puzzling, even, with their tough skins and all those little red seeds. But splitting one open and getting all that fruit is actually pretty easy. Here's how to do it. Find yourself a Pomegranate. If it's an organic one from your local CSA, all the better. Begin by cutting off the top part of the fruit, called the crown. I am fast, like a ninja. Slice the skin into segments. STEP FOUR Soak the pomegranate in a bowl of water for a few minutes. STEP FIVE Break up the fruit in the bowl, you'll notice that the fruit sinks to the bottom while the rind floats up to the top. STEP SIX Once the fruit and rind are separated, you can skim the rind off of the top of the water. STEP SEVEN Strain and drain, dude. STEP EIGHT Eat it. Finally: If you liked this post, you'll love my book.
Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles I love chocolate truffles for two reasons: You have an excuse to grab the best chocolate in your pantry.Truffles freeze really well. This gives you a chance to make lots of them and simply freeze them. Just pull them out whenever you feel the sudden compulsive need to satiate your chocolate craving. Like right now, at 2 am on a quiet Friday morning. I could lengthen this list, but you don’t really need any convincing to make chocolate truffles, do you? Now some of you might think that truffle-making is a fancy art, one that only a pro-chocolatier is adept at. And with V-day just around the corner, you can make truffles as presents for your loved one… even if you don’t know how to cook! I’m always looking at trying out different newer varieties for my truffles, so I’ve listed a whole bunch of variations that might be worth a try. Truffle Flavour variations: To stir into cream: Alcohol – raspberry, kirsch, kahlua, baileys, Cointreau, grand marnier, AmarattoPistachio pasteGianduja Caramel
Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters Margarita Jell-O Shooters ~ A fun farewell to summer and a festive edition to your Sunday football tailgate party or gatherings. For another Jello shooter variation like this one, check out my Lemon Drop Jello Shooters cut into the shape of lemon wedges and my Rocky Candy Shooters shaped just like the rock candy you loved as a kid. Strawberry Margarita Jello Shooters As many of you know, my Lemon Drop Jell-O Shooters are my issued dish from my girlfriend who holds the annual tailgate kickoff amongst our friends. This year with Matt being in the hospital, I sent them forward to the gathering in our absence. Now that we can finally make the next one in two weeks, she has again requested Jell-O shooters. That being the case, I opted to try what you see here. Besides how cute and fun are these? Printthis recipe Saveto recipe box Yield: Makes 24-30 Shooters Ingredients: 24-30 Strawberries Margarita Mix Directions: Strawberry Prep: A few notes: Leave a Comment
Grasshopper Brownie Bars For the brownie base: 3/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona) 5 ounces good quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1 inch cubes 3/4 cups sugar 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoons vanilla extract For the buttercream: 3/4 cups sugar 2 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened but still cool, cut into small cubes 3 tablespoons creme de menthe 1 teaspoon peppermint extract For the chocolate glaze: 6 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon light corn syrup 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes To make the brownie base: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch pan. Configure a large size double boiler. Sprinkle the flour/cocoa/salt mix over the chocolate.
The Infamous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies Now, I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I swear by. I love it, I think it is incredible, and I haven’t changed my mind about that. However, as much as it pains me to say it, these chocolate chip cookies by Jacques Torres are absolutely, without a doubt, the best chocolate chip cookies that I have ever made or tasted in my entire life. I guess that’s why they call him Mr. Either way, I made these and everyone that tried them went nuts. Edit: For more Jacques Torres deliciousness, check out my Jacques Torres Chocolate Mudslide Cookies! Your ingredients. Whisk together the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat together the butter and sugars, until light and fluffy, at least 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add in the flour mixture, very gradually, until just moistened. Fold in your chocolate. Milk is, in fact, an essential component to enjoying these amazing cookies. The Infamous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thin mints Thin Mints I really don’t think you can top a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie straight from the freezer. Unless you make your own, of course! Three ingredients. That’s it! These are seriously good. Recipe: Thin Mints 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers 1 bag of dark chocolate chips 1/2 tsp. pure peppermint extract Melt chocolate in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Crack brownies Have you ever tried crack? Yeah, me either. After eating these brownies, though, I feel like I would probably be less addicted to crack. I mean, how can that not be the case with brownies, peanuts, marshmallows, Reese's peanut butter cups, chocolate, peanut butter and Rice Krispies all present in a single bite?! Prepare 1 package of brownie mix according to the package directions. While the brownies are baking, chop enough Reese's peanut butter cups (I used minis) to make 1 cup. Add on top of the baked brownies: 1/2 cup salted peanuts 1 cup Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped 2 cups miniature marshmallows Return to the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for an additional 5 minutes, or until the marshmallows begin to puff and brown and the chocolate begins to melt. In a medium bowl, combine: 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir until melted and creamy. Pour mixture evenly over the brownies. You think I'm kidding!