Dark Chocolate Chip Scones

I recently finished Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. She explores how relationships are strengthened at the table and how sharing food opens a moment of vulnerability that deepens bonds between friends. At one point in the book she points out that it is ok to still be cooking when your guests arrive. I think we get wrapped up in the idea that we can't focus on anything else while we are cooking or that we would be doing our guests a disservice by not giving them our full attention. I know when we entertain I fall into this trap of needing everything to be done and "perfect" before they arrive.

When I think back to the dinners where I needed help (and asked for it, which is the hard part) I realize those nights were different. The meal becomes more of a community effort and by working on it together each of us opened up in ways we might not just nibbling on an appetizer.

This applies to more than just dinner parties though. The other morning I had a friend over for coffee and decided to make a snack at the last minute. Normally I would have rushed around in a panic trying to make something before she got here, but instead I took my time and didn't worry if my baking would impede our conversation. It didn't of course. I mixed and kneaded and got covered in flour while we laughed and caught up. Getting warm scones right out of the oven was a nice bonus too!

An aside-if you are at all interested in cooking (or eating!) go out right now and get Bread and Wine. I will write a real review of it another day but it's phenomenal. Vulnerable and touching and inspiring. I cried (and I never cry while reading) and highlighted more than half the book. It's gooooood, darlings.

I was in the mood for chocolate when I made these scones, so I simply took the Cinnamon Sugar Scones and swapped things around. I love how adaptable scones are! The dark chocolate elevates these slightly but don't be fooled. My kids devoured these just as much as they do milk chocolate. Considering how many of these I've eaten in the last few days I may just turn into a scone by the week's end.

Have you ever tried cooking with your dinner guests? Did it stress you out or was it more enjoyable than you expected?

Dark Chocolate Chip Scones
adapted from my cinnamon sugar scones which were originally adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbs sugar (plus extra to sprinkle on top of the scones)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup dark chocolate chips
5 tbsp cold, unsalted butter (cut into 1/4 inch pieces)
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Whisk all the dry ingredients together except the chocolate. Add in the cold butter and mix with your hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture becomes sandy with only pea sized chunks of butter left. Add in the chocolate chips and stir.
Pour the milk and vanilla extract into the flour mixture and stir until combined. Pour the dough out on to a floured surface and knead into a ball. Pat the ball into a disc and cut into wedges or use a cookie cutter to cut into circles.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Spiced Brownies

So I talked about wanting this past weekend to be a quiet weekend on Friday, and sometimes you get just what you ask for! My husband was on the road, and a packing snafu left me with an dead laptop battery and no charger. We also finally made the decision to ditch cable tv since we use netflix/hulu more anyway and it got turned off a few days ahead of schedule. So no computer, no tv.

I was a little grumbly at first, but realized in the end how good it was that I was forced to REALLY unplug. All I had was my iPhone and Netflix and that was more than enough. (And should be more than enough!) I read a lot, caught up on old British dramas and spent lots of time with good friends. The boys and I got some one on one time and a special Mommy date to celebrate good report cards. A nice reminder that shutting down that laptop a little more often is in all our best interests…maybe something I should've added to my goals list for the year!

I volunteered to bring dessert to one of our get togethers this weekend, and since the kids outnumbered the parents I needed something that would appeal to the kids but also be a little bit different for the grownups. And of course, something that didn't require me to go to the grocery store with 2 small children in tow!

These brownies are an old favorite of mine. They are based on a brownie made by the Baked bakery in New York City, which is known for putting new spins on old classics. The spice is subtle and not "spicy" despite the use of the smoky paprika. It just elevates and adds a slight sophistication so that it works just as well at a dinner party as it does a kindergarten class party. The texture is that sweet spot between fudge and cake. They taste good with coffee or tea and wine, which is why I love to have a stash of these in the freezer for those moments when I need an emotional snack. I'm much more likely to be satisfied with one great brownie than I am with a handful of 'meh' oreos!


Spiced Brownie
adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Baked Bakery

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp smoky paprika
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
12 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick butter, sliced
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, paprika, cinnamon and cardamom. Set aside.

Melt the butter, espresso powder and chocolate together in a glass or metal bowl placed over a pan of gently boiling water. Once the mixture is completely melted and smooth take it off pan and add in the sugars. The mix should be cooling slightly at this point. Add in 3 eggs and whisk together. Add the last two eggs and then the vanilla and whisk until just combined. This is point where you don't want to over mix or the texture will be more like cake.

Fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture with a spatula until it's all just mixed together. There should still be a touch of flour visible.

Pour into a 9"x13" pan that has been buttered or sprayed with a non-stick spray. Cook for 28-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, rotating the pan half way through. If you insert a skewer into the center it will be done when just a few crumbs come out on it, not when it is completely clean. Wait until completely cooled before cutting into squares.

Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake

I promised you chocolate, didn't I? Sorry it had to get bumped a day but Christmas preparations reared their ugly head yesterday and I had to make an emergency trip to civilization to pick something up before it sold out. Combine that with our usual round of after school speech therapy, homework, piano practice, etc. and I was one tired Mama last night. I don't know about you, but sometimes the amount of effort it takes to make the holidays magical for the boys sure takes the magic out of it for us grownups. By the end of the day, I was ready to snuggle in with a warm drink, a good book (Cuckoo's Calling) and a piece of this chocolate cake out of the freezer.

I first made this cake verbatim from Nigella Kitchen a few years ago for my husbands birthday and it was all I wanted it to be. Relatively quick, delicious and event worthy. So I continued to make every now and then without fiddling with the recipe much. When Thanksgiving rolled around this year, I decided we needed a second dessert to balance out the Apple Pie, and my husband suggested chocolate. I knew I couldn't commit to the extra time needed for frosting and making a big layer cake like I did for Christmas last year, and finally I remembered this cake.

Of course we didn't have a lime in the house and there was no way I was going to Walmart the day before Thanksgiving! Not a chance. We did have oranges though, and I remembered a friend raving about a chocolate-orange loaf cake she had made a while back…and really, what good is having family around if you can't force them to be guinea pigs for your culinary experiments?

I love the orange flavor in this much more than the lime. It retained the same rich and decadent flavor and the same slightly gooey center but the orange notes really make it feel special. The original recipe calls for a flavored whipped cream on top, but I prefer it with a big scoop of ice cream. It was the perfect end to an already over the top meal, and it also just happens to be the perfect snack out of the fridge or freezer after a long day. There's a good reason that every episode of Nigella's TV series ends with her sneaking into the kitchen for leftovers after everyone else has gone to bed!

Linking up with The SITS Girls Saturday Sharefest! Lots of great links to check out :)


Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake
adapted from Nigella Kitchen

Ingredients:
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
6 eggs
1 1/4 cup superfine sugar (if you can't find this, just put regular sugar into the food processor for a few seconds)
1 cup almond meal or flour
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
zest and juice of one small orange
confectioner's sugar to dust the top (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and coat bottom and sides with non-stick spray or butter.

In a metal or glass bowl set on top of a small saucepan filled with boiling water, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring regularly. Set aside to cool a little.

With a mixer (standing or hand-held), beat the eggs and sugar until they triple in size. In another bowl, mix the almond flour and cocoa powder together and then fold into the egg mixture. Once combined, fold in the melted chocolate and butter, and then the orange zest and juice.

Pour into the pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes. It will be firm and crust-like on the top, but underneath it will still be gooey in the center. Cool on a wire rack, and after about 5 minutes drape a clean tea towel over it to prevent the crust from getting too crunchy. You want it to crack a little though, so don't panic.

Dust with confectioner's sugar once it is totally cooled and serve with whipped cream or ice cream if you wish.

Mint Hot Chocolate

Today I'm really excited to be guest posting on Bunny and Dolly! I wrote all about snow days and one of our favorite winter traditions-homemade mint hot chocolate. The timing couldn't be better since Oklahoma got another big snowstorm last night and we are all home for a snow day today :)
For the post and recipe click here!

Stay warm Oklahoma friends!

Gifts from the Kitchen: Cinnamon Chocolate Fudge

This is one of the very first recipes I made that scared the pants off of me before I tried it. Fudge? No way. I can't make candy-remember that time you tried to make caramel and destroyed a saucepan and a candy thermometer in less than 20 minutes? Was that just me? Darn.
(Psst! Stocking stuff ideas honey-Candy thermometer and a new spatula too! Told you I wouldn't be subtle this year :) )
But back to the fudge. I had just assumed that it would be complicated to make since in my mind it falls into that candy category. Then I stumbled on this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis and realized that it's not all that different from making brownies.

This immediately became one of my standby recipes. Forgot about that class party or squadron potluck this afternoon?  Or teacher gifts? Those get me every year! Just pop a few in a little bag with pretty bow and you're all set.
Chances are you have everything for this in your pantry. All you need is 10 minutes of prep time and a few hours for it to refrigerate.
Extra credit-everyone will be so impressed that you made fudge. Just don't tell them how easy it was!


Cinnamon Chocolate Fudge

barely adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
10 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
6 oz semisweet chocolate*
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into large slices
Large pinch of sea salt (optional)

Prepare a small baking pan (8x8 or similar size) by coating with non stick spray and then cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit with some hanging over the side.

Bring a small saucepan full of water to a boil. In a metal or glass bowl large enough to sit in the saucepan but not touch the water below place the chocolate and the butter. Stir until both the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Pour in condensed milk, vanilla and cinnamon and stir until everything is completely combine and mixture is smooth.

Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle salt lightly over the chocolate. Place in fridge until hardened. (3 hours minimum, overnight is even easier)

*You can use all of one type of chocolate or the other, or mix it to your preference.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

My children are at the age where birthdays are a big deal. As they are my children, the cake is the biggest deal of all. Past cakes and cakes at other parties are discussed and compared until eventually a decision has been reached.

I will point out that it does not have to be their own birthdays for this to occur. This past weekend was my husband's birthday and they went completely overboard in their plans. Eventually I had to put my foot down. 

No, we are not putting Legos on Daddy's cake or buying him Ninjago balloons. 

The three of them could discuss cake flavors and I would bake whatever they decided on…I knew my husband loved mint chocolate, but the boys insisted it be mint chocolate chip. So I improvised! 

I took old favorite recipes and tweaked them just a little so the mint flavor came through in both the cake and the frosting. Then to up the ante on texture and flavor I added mint chocolate chips in between cake layers. I was afraid it might be a little much but my husband (who does not have a sweet tooth in the slightest) ate TWO slices. All the grownups and kids present ate every bite…so much so that this is all we were left with after dinner. That's a hit in my book! 

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

For the mint chocolate cake: 

I adapted our favorite chocolate birthday cake 

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk 
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp mint extract
3/4 cup hot coffee (I used decaf coffee but use whatever you prefer)

PLUS 3/4 cup mint chocolate chips during cake assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degres and prep two 8 inch round cake pans. Either butter the pans and then flour, or use a non-stick cooking spray (I like Baker's Joy)
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment mix slowly until they are all combined. In a separate bowl, stir together all the liquid ingredients except for the coffee.

Slowly pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the dry in the mixer and mix on low speed to combine. Pour the coffee in and use a spatula to stir together.

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. 

Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes and then finish cooling on a rack. Wait until completely cool before frosting.

Mint Buttercream Frosting: 

adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 

4 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tsp mint extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for approximately 2 minutes until it is fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar. Begin beating again but on low to start. As the butter and sugar start to incorporate raise the speed to medium and add in the cream and the extracts. 

Beat on medium-high for 4-5 minutes, adding cream or powdered sugar to adjust the consistency. You want it to almost look like it's whipped cream towards the end. This will give you that nice light and fluffy frosting. 

To assemble cake: 

Place one cake round on your plate or platter. Spread a layer of frosting across the top of cake and then sprinkle the 3/4 cup of mint chocolate chips over it. Place the second layer on top of that and frost the top with the rest of the frosting. If you want, roughly chop a few ounces of dark chocolate and sprinkle on the top of the cake as a garnish. Mint leaves or more chocolate chips would be great too!