Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark blend)
• 1 oz bittersweet (or your favorite dark) chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/8 cup heavy cream, chilled

Directions

1. Set a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the mixture is very warm and the sugar has completely dissolved. Rub a bit in between your fingers to check that there are no granules.
2. Add the cocoa and chocolate chunks and whisk until almost melted. Remove the bowl from the pot and whisk until completely melted. Let cool to room temperature of still slightly warm.
3. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add half of the whipped cream to the bowl of chocolate and fold with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. 
4. Add remaining whipped cream and fold until completely combined.
5. Divide the mousse among 2 small dessert dishes. Chill for at least 2 hours, and up to 1 day. Remove from the fridge 15 prior to serving.
6. Garnish with chocolate shavings or additional whipped cream is desired.

Recipe found at http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/

Classic Crepes

Prep time: about 5

Cook time: about 2 minutes or less per crepe

Total time: about 30 minutes (includes time to use up batter)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs

Directions

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Beat with a hand beater until smooth.
Heat a crepe pan on medium heat, lightly butter pan before each crepe. Pour about 1/4 cup of Crepe batter onto skillet, and immediately rotate skillet until a thin film covers bottom. Cook until tiny bubbles in batter pop and stay open, then flip. (I run a spatula around edges to loosen sides of the crepe, then I turn with my fingers. I find it difficult to flip with a spatula.) Cook until light brown. Stack crepes. They don't stick together, but if you are worried they will stick together, put some wax paper in between.
Fill with Nutella, or sprinkle with sugar and squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the sugar, and roll up. Or fill with any other desired filling. I used Vanilla yoghurt and granola, with strawberries and Boysenberry syrup to decorate.

White chocolate cupcakes with truffle filling

 I made these babies for a surprise birthday party. Let me tell  you, they are the Bomb.com, they are The Cat's Meow, and The Bees Knees, and Snug as a Bug in a Rug. Except this time, that bug is a Lindor truffle, and that rug is a heavenly cup of cake. You follow?

Yield: 12 servings 

Cook time: 17-20 minutes

Total time: about 1 1/2 hours.

Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp double strength vanilla
4 egg whites, room temperature
6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
12 round white chocolate truffles (I used Lindor)

 Frosting and garnish:
6 ounces white chocolate for baking,chopped
 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter softened
1/2 tsp double strength vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
white chocolate curls (optional)Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and paper liners in a muffin tin.Whisk flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup.  In a stand mixer beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. In another bowl beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, beat in sour cream until smooth. On medium speed add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture in two additions, mixing until smooth. Whisk in 1/3 of egg whites. Fold in remaining egg whites with a whisk. Using a large scoop divide cupcake batter evenly among liners.

Bake 17-20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Remove pan from oven, and immediately cut a 1/2 inch X in the center of the cupcake. Press one truffle into each cupcake until even with the top of the cupcake. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool for 30 minutes or up to room temperature. Truffles will melt into cupcakes.

Meanwhile, for the frosting, place white chocolate in a liquid measuring cup and cook in microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so until chocolate in melted. Let cool for 3 minutes, or until slightly cooled.  In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, vanilla, butter, and melted white chocolate, beat on medium speed until well blended. Slowly add powdered sugar, and beat on high for a few minutes.  Place frosting in a decorating bag with a large star tip. Pipe frosting evenly over the tops of cupcakes.  Add sprinkles or white chocolate curls.

You can make curls by placing 2 squares of baking chocolate on parchment paper and heating in microwave for 10 seconds on high. Create curls from softened chocolate by using a vegetable peeler.
Enjoy!

Recipe from http://www.pamperedchef.com/

chewy snickerdoodle cookies

prep time: about 45 minutes (includes time in the refrigerator)

cook time: 12-14 minutes
yield: about 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Coating

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 In an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars on high speed, once creamy add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a separate bowl. Once mixed, Incorperate the dry ingredients with the moist and mix well.

 Preheat oven to 300 degrees while you let the dough rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Make sure to scrape off the sides of your bowl before you let it cool.  The dough gets quite hard, and is difficult to scrape off once chilled.
While you cool the dough mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside.

 Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Coat the dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar mix, and lightly press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat for remaining cookies.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes and no more. The cookies will seem undercooked, but continue to develop once removed from the oven. Once cooled, the cookies should be soft in the center.

recipe found at http://heidibakes.blogspot.com/

classic chocolate chip cookies

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cook time: 9 minutes

Total time: about 25 minutes

Yield: makes about 2 dozen cookies   

Ingredients

• 2/3 c shortening
• 2/3 c butter or margarine
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• 3 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 oz milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375* and prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Cream first 6 ingredients until thoroughly combined in an electric mixer. Add dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) and mix 'em in well. Stir in chocolate chips (it just isn't the same if you don't steal a few). And you are ready to eat some dough! If you so desire, bake the cookies in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until a appealing golden colour.

lemon burst cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 drops lemon extract
• 1/2 c powdered sugar (for rolling) 

 Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. That takes awhile, so meanwhile, as that creams, in a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add zest and whisk it in (the lemon zest smells so summery, does it not?  I could fill my whole house with that wondrous aroma...)

In the mixer add eggs, one at a time and mix well, then add lemon extract. Mix again. With mixer on low speed, combine dry ingredients with the moist, only until just combined. Roll the dough into balls and coat in confectioners sugar by pushing the dough in little circles through the powdered sugar.  Place powdery dough balls on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between them. Bake those cookies for 12 to 14 minutes (be patient! I know they smell good, but you'll be happier if you refrain from eating them while scorching hot) , or until puffed and bottoms just golden brown.
Cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack....Okay, now you can eat one... or two... or three....

recipe found on http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

My sister and I wanted to make some friends something that would be easy, but also delicious, so we made these! They taste JUST like the ones you get from elementary school lunch!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ C Butter

¾ C Sugar

¾ C Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter (split)

2 Eggs

1 ½ C Quick Oats

Frosting:

½ C Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ C Powdered Sugar

2 T Cocoa

¼ C Milk (I use whatever I have in the fridge)

1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, 3/4 C peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Then, stir in the oats. Spread onto a greased 11 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a two step process. First, whip the remaning ¾ C Creamy Peanut Butter until it becomes lighter colored and fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the pan cookie.

Then, add butter to a small sauce pan and melt the butter. Add the milk and cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat just until boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir until thickened. Pour over the peanut butter and gently spread over the cookie. Cool completely, and slice into bar cookies