Baked Hot Chocolate



http://www.sundaynitedinner.com/

The restaurant I work at makes the most amazing baked hot chocolate. It is kind of like a lava cake. A hot decadent chocolate cake with a warm, moist center. For the past couple of months I have been spying on the cooks at work, and trying to get their recipe. Finally, I think I have found something very similar! The recipe comes from the cookbook: The Essence of Chocolate - Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate.


Ingredients (serves 4):

9 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used chocolate chips)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter cut into cubes
4 large eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
whipped cream (or vanilla ice cream)

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange four 1-cup ovenproof coffee cups or mugs or 8-ounce ramekins in a baking or roasting pan. (I used five 5-ounce ramekins)
2. Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering water, and whisk occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Stir the eggs and sugar together in the bowl of stand mixer then set over the simmering water and stir until warm to the touch.
4. Place the bowl on the stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, beat for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
5. Remove from the mixer, and fold the eggs into the chocolate mixture until it is light and smooth.
6. Spoon the batter into the cups. Add enough very hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the side of the cups.(<<< not sure what that meant, so I skipped that step) Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The baked hot chocolate will be done when the tops lose their glossy finish. A wooden skewer inserted in the top will emerge clean, but batter toward the bottom of the cup will still be very moist.
7. Carefully remove the cups from the pan. The cakes can be served warm, at room temperature or covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. To reheat, bring to room temperature and place in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 5 minutes, or until warm. (I microwaved for 1 minute)
8. At work we top with fresh whipped cream and cocoa, but I served mine with vanilla ice cream

I feel like this recipe makes it look more complicated than it really is.
All you are really doing is:
1. melting the chocolate and butter
2. whisking the eggs and sugar in a seperate bowl
3. and then folding them together

Raspberry Lemon Bars

We visited Chris' mom this weekend up north. (when I say we... I mean Pookie, Chris, & I :)
She has a lemon tree that has extremely enormous lemons growing on it. So I came home with a plathera of lemons, and didn't know what to do with them! So, naturally I made Raspberry Lemon bars! (I found the recipe here: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com)
Then I made my favorite lemonade (I posted my recipe for my lemonade last week.)
Tomorrow I'll make lemon chicken... But here's the recipe for the AMAZING raspberry lemon bars!


For the crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of one lemon


For the filling:


2 large egg yolks
1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces fresh raspberries


directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.


In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.


Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries. Fold carefully so you don't break the raspberries.


Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.


Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour before serving. Cut into bars and serve. Keep bars in the refrigerator-up to five days.


*Note-use fresh raspberries and make sure you gently fold the berries into the lemon filling or you will have pink bars.


PS- while we were up North we looked at homes... Please pray!

 



Blackberry Cobbler

I also made this for my dad's 50th! everyone LOVED it! Great served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
I found this recipe in my Pioneer Woman cookbook!
Ingredients

1 stick Butter
1-¼ cup Sugar
1 cup Self-Rising Flour
1 cup Milk
2 cups Blackberries (frozen Or Fresh)
Preparation Instructions

Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.

Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.

Found on www.thepionnerwoman.com