Tag Archive: Chocolate Chips

Goji Gourmet Giveaway

Written on January 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Giveaway

Last year, I sampled a small company’s superfood-packed cookies and fell in love with their taste and texture. At the time, they were only available in certain parts of New York and online, but now Goji Gourmet is sold across the country and still growing strong. They sell bite-sized cookies filled with whole grains, real ingredients, and—of course—their trademark goji berries.

Even though these cookies are “healthy”, they are filled with flavor. This past week, I tried making a copycat recipe which I have to say is really good, but not quite as soft as the original(I’ll post the recipe soon). Now I have the chance to share these amazing cookies with you.

Giveaway

All 5 Flavors Pack One commenter will win an 5-flavor pack from Goji Gourmet. Please leave a separate comment for each entry. I’ll randomly pick a winner on Friday, the 14th. There are 3 ways to enter.

1. Comment on which flavor of Goji Gourmet cookies sounds most appealing to you.

2. “Like” Goji Gourmet on Facebook

3. Follow Goji Gourmet on Twitter

If you’re on Facebook or twitter, you can like or follow me, too, for kicks and giggles(I’m good for giggles). Good luck!

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Homemade Peppermint Patties

Written on January 5, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I love peppermint patties. What’s not to love? Their chocolaty and sweet and it feels like you’ve just brushed your teeth after you eat one. My grandparents always kept the miniature knock-off versions from CVS called “thin mints” at their apartment and I could eat a sleeve a day. There’s nothing more satisfying than a big, whole peppermint patty, except maybe one that you’ve made yourself.

I’ve had these on my to-make list ever since seeing this post on Megan’s blog. I kept putting them off not knowing how utterly easy these are to make. I made them New Year’s Eve morning and they were gone before the clock struck midnight. They’re naturally vegan and gluten-free, so if you’re cooking for allergies and want to avoid any specialty ingredients, go with these for an easy crowd pleaser.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Ingredients(Makes 24 patties):

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar(or any liquid sweetener)
1 1/2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, softened or melted
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 bag(12oz) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix the powdered sugar, agave nectar, coconut oil, peppermint extract, and water. Continue mixing with your hands even if it doesn’t look like there’s enough moisture there; eventually it will all come together and form a dough ball.

Take off chunks of filling from the dough ball and roll them into 3/4-inch balls. Press the balls down in between your hands and form patties. Lay these out on a baking tray and refrigerate or freeze for 30 minutes until firm

When the patties are ready, melt down the chocolate in a microwave or over a double-boiler. Line a baking tray with parchment paper to set the peppermint patties to dry once coated.

To coat, lay the patty down on top of the melted chocolate. Immediately flip it over with a fork and lift it out of the chocolate from the bottom. Wipe off any excess chocolate from the bottom and lay it on the lined baking tray.

Let the patties sit at room temperature for an hour or refrigerate for 10 minutes before removing them from the paper.

I’m a sucker for any popular “junk food” dessert made homemade. I think they’re SO impressive. I wouldn’t worry if your patties aren’t all the same size or the chocolate isn’t smooth; those kind difference make these distinctively homemade.

These are great to eat after dinner to freshen your breath, if you don’t just eat a handful for dinner that is.

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Fudge Pies

Written on December 27, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

What could be better than a cookie? Well, how about 2 cookies with a rich and decadent filling. I thought that would grab your attention. When I made these cookies for our family get-together on Christmas day, they were OK but nothing memorable. I wanted to incorporate more chocolate(because I always do) and decided to make a filling to match the richness of the cookie. These easily became something amazing and were a hit(but, you know, what isn’t with chocolate?).

Fudge Pies

Ingredients(Makes 24 cookies or 12 pies):

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
5 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

For the ganache:

8oz chocolate chips
2oz heavy cream(or non-dairy cream)

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until the dough is nice and thick. Move it to a refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to cool.

While the dough is chilling, preheat an oven to 350 degrees and line baking trays with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and drop them on the tray.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until they expand and crack. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on wire racks.

To make the filling, melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler. Slowly beat in the cream and continue to mix until it has emulsified.

Pour a spoonful of ganache in the center of half of the cookies. Then, take an equal-sized cookie and make a sandwich out of the two. Let the ganache harden before serving.

These reminded me of a Little Debbie Fudge Round only so much better. The cookies were fresh and the chocolate was rich and full of flavor. I think the only thing that would have made this better would have been sea salt in the ganache but I was making this for a crowd and not sure of everyone’s taste. If you ever have an occasion to go over the top(and, let’s face it, what else are the holidays for?!) try these.

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Nut Lover’s Dark Chocolate Bark

Written on December 24, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Recently, I’ve picked up an addiction for chocolate covered nuts that somebody gave me as a gift. It combines two of my favorite things: Chocolate and nuts(so many jokes, so little time). Even though I’m not through with the bag, I’ve been thinking about how to make my own, because “fancy” nuts(again, so little time) are some of the most overpriced foods at the grocery store. Instead, I made my own in the form of bark. Bark is festive, cheap, and the perfect personalized gift. This tastes like it should cost twice as much as it took to make, and it was so simple, too! Put this under the tree for the nut lover in your life.

Nut Lover’s Dark Chocolate Bark

Ingredients(Makes 15-20 servings)

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules(optional)
3oz(3/4 cup) peanuts
3oz(3/4 cup) almonds
3oz(3/4 cup) cashews
Sea salt

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Lay out all the nuts on a baking tray and roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes, jostling the pan every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don’t burn.

While the nuts are roasting, melt down the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. When the chocolate is smooth and melted, add in the cocoa powder and instant coffee and stir(note: These don’t change the texture of the chocolate; they just add a rich, dark flavor that make this taste much better than regular chocolate chips would).

Line a tray with parchment paper and spread the chocolate into a smooth layer about 1/4-inch thick.

Add the nuts onto the chocolate and press down firmly with your palms to push them in. It’s OK that the chocolate will spread a little more. Lastly, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the bark. Stick this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden. Break into individual pieces.

This was delicious. It would have made the perfect gift if I could part with it; instead, I ate 3 pieces the afternoon I made it and just said Merry Christmas to me. This tastes so much more decadent and expensive than it has a right to. Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

What would your favorite bark have in it?

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Dairy-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake

Written on December 21, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

The best kind of recipes are simple recipes, or recipes that involve chocolate. This is both.

Every year at Passover my mom would make this cake for our bake sales. All the Jewish kids loved it because it doesn’t break the rule of eating leavened bread and yet it’s so airy and cake-like. Now, I’m not Jewish, but I tip my hat to any religion that favors chocolate over bread.

When I saw Jenna post the recipe a few weeks ago, I took it as a sign to bake this cake. Who doesn’t celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Trebia every December 18th? You should. With cake.

I used the same recipe with a few alterations, like making it dairy-free. I followed the recipe to a T, messed up completely as I typically do, and still managed to bake something that held together and was delicious. I’m not sure how that last part happened but I’m so grateful it did.

Dairy-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake

I used this recipe replacing the butter with Earth Balance in a 1:1 ratio and added a hefty teaspoon of instant coffee granules.

I knew I was doing it just like Jenna when I had a mess in my sink, floor, and counter space.

This came out so well for a cake with no flour or gluten-free replacement. The structure is entirely made by eggs. I even beat mine way too long, never got them “thick” or to make ribbons, had to deflate them just to get the chocolate to mix, and the cake still turned out just fine. Now that’s a forgiving recipe.

And we all ate happily ever after.

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Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies With Citrus

Written on December 16, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

This time of year, cookie swaps are everywhere. Like I’ve mentioned, I’m not the biggest cookie lover. However, there are some that I tip my hat to. I love the standard peanut butter cookie. And I’ve already paid tribute to the pairing of chocolate and orange once this Christmas season. But when I saw Kaitlin’s recipe for chocolate orange cookies, I had to make them and make them mine. While I was worried how these would taste at first, they ended up being the perfect balance of nuttiness, citrus, and chocolate. They’re festive and bound to be a hit at any cookie swap.

Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies With Citrus

Ingredients(Makes 18 cookies):

1 cup natural almond butter
3/4 cup cane sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt(omit if your almond butter is salted)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Zest of one orange

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Start by mixing together the almond butter, sugar, salt, egg, and baking soda until it has all emulsified.

Next add in the chocolate chips and zest in the orange. Continue to mix this until the mix-ins are evenly distributed. Roll the dough into 18 1-inch balls and lay them out on a lined baking tray about 2 inches apart.

Press down on the top of each dough ball gently with a fork to make a criss-cross pattern. Bake these for about 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly.

These are so festive! I was pleasantly surprised at how well the orange flavor came through, and yet you clearly get the almond flavor and sweet chocolate, too. It was completely necessary to eat 2 out of the oven to make sure they were OK. But if you can wait longer, these are perfect to eat alongside a tall glass of almond milk. I bet you Santa has never had milk and cookies like this.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Written on December 8, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

You have not lived until you’ve had chocolate hazelnut spread. Bold statement? Trust me: It’s life changing. I didn’t grow up with Nutella always in the house, but when it was around it was a treat. I could never resist eating a finger-full straight from the jar. Now, I’m in love with Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter, which is much richer and nuttier. You could spread it on ANYTHING and it would taste good. But I digress. After debating what brownies to make one afternoon, I thought about using this as the base, and the rest was history. These are thick and fudgy and full of character. I couldn’t imagine anyone not falling in love with these brownies.

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
1/4 cup butter(or non-dairy substitute such as Earth Balance)
3/4 cup cane sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour(or gluten-free flour)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup milk(or non-dairy substitute)
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts(optional)

To start, let your butter soften or microwave it briefly and preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cream the chocolate hazlenut butter, sugar, and butter together to form a sticky paste.

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Pour in the milk to loosen up the batter while you stir, mixing it together(Note: The batter will be very thick). Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts if using.

Grease a 9×9 baking pan and press in the batter in an even layer. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until the center has been cooked through. Let the brownies cool before cutting.

There really are no words for how good these are. I was going to make a frosting, but these stand on their own pretty easily. But I wouldn’t be opposed to spreading some chocolate hazelnut butter on top. I wouldn’t be opposed at all…

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Chocolate Orange Brownies

Written on November 22, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

One of my favorite treats from the holidays has always been the Terry’s Chocolate Oranges with chocolates shaped like an orange slice and citrusy chocolate. I have to think orange is one of the best flavor pairings to go with chocolate.

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It only seemed natural that brownies with orange in them would taste good, too. And these do. These are the perfect brownies to serve for the holidays since they taste so citrusy and fresh. And they have fruit juice in them, so you can convince yourself they’re healthy, too!

Chocolate Orange Brownies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white sugar
Juice and zest of 1 orange
1 eggs
6 tablespoons oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons chocolate chips

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, juice, and zest from one orange. Try to get out as much juice as you can squeezing it between your hands.

Next, mix in the oil and the egg and whisk until combined.

Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder, and fold until it all just comes together.

Finally, add in the chocolate chips and fold to incorporate. Pour the dough into an 8×8 baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the center is set.

I was worried that the orange flavor might bake out of these without something more lasting like orange extract, but you can taste the orange in these perfectly. These brownies manage to be citrusy while still staying true to their chocolaty nature. I wouldn’t be surprised if I make these 2 or 3 times before Christmas.

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Vegan Hemp Seed Chocolate Chippers

Written on November 15, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

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One of the most underrated foods in my opinion are hemp seeds. They have a sweet, nutty flavor that reminds me of a cross between pure vanilla and almond. They are very unassuming with their small, green appearance, and yet have such great health benefits sprinkled on top of oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast. And yet so few recipes actually use them! I love these cookies, because the sweet nuttiness of the hemp seeds pairs perfectly with the flavors already in a chocolate chip cookie. These are best enjoyed with a tall glass of hemp milk.

Vegan Hemp Seed Chocolate Chippers

Ingredients(Makes 24 cookies):

6 tablespoons butter substitute(such as Earth Balance), softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 tablespoons hemp oil(or a neutral-flavored oil)
1 egg-substitute
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, and butter substitute. Be sure not to overcream but rather keep the butter light and fluffy. Next, add in the oil, egg-substitute, salt, and baking powder and mix.

Gently sift in the flour and mix until just incorporated. Lastly, add in the hemp seeds and chocolate chips and fold to distribute.

Next, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes by placing it in the refrigerator to set. Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 350 degrees and line 2 large room-temperature(very important) baking trays with parchment paper.

After the dough has chilled, start making dough balls by taking chunks of dough and rolling them into 1-inch balls and placing them on the cookie trays. This should yield 24 cookies; the balls of dough will look small but be assured that the cookies spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Let the cookies cool 5-10 minutes before removing them from the baking trays.

These cookies have become a fast favorite of mine. They’re a good blend of being soft and nicely chewy. And the sweet, mellow flavor of the hemp pairs perfectly with the tones of butter, brown sugar, and chocolate. You can adjust the recipe for any other kind of seed, but I think they’d be missing something.

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Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies

Written on November 9, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I love brownie recipes, in case that’s not clear. There’s so much you can do with this simple dessert just by varying the ingredients and proportions. One recipe in particular stuck out to me; I’ve always made brownies with flour being the main ingredient but these use chocolate as the center of attention. Chocolate?! What’s not to love there?

Of course, there’s also plenty of butter and sugar, too. But these brownies are truly unique in their composition and that comes out with a richer flavor and a very fudgy feel. Ina knew what she was doing in calling these “Outrageous”.

Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies(adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons flour(or gluten-free alternative)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules(optional)
1/2 cup butter(or Earth Balance)
7oz baking chocolate, divided(about 3/4 cup chocolate chips if you want to use those)

*Note: A flax egg WILL NOT work here. I’m still unsure of certain other egg replacements, however, and will be trying those in future batches.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a large bowl. Set this aside.

In a separate bowl, melt together 4 ounces of chocolate with 1/2 a cup of butter. In another bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and coffee granules if using. Slowly pour the hot chocolate and butter in while whisking little by little until it’s entirely incorporated. Make sure not to go too fast as this could cook the eggs if not tempered properly.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the large bowl with flour and mix completely.

Grease an 8×8 baking pan and pour the batter in, spreading out to ensure evenness. Sprinkle the top with the leftover chocolate chips and gently press them into the batter. Bake for 30 minutes. Let these cool completely before cutting in(Ina recommends refrigerating them. I didn’t do this, and a few of them crumbled when I tried to lift them from the pan, so it couldn’t hurt).

Wow. You really taste the different layers of chocolate in this. I would have thought the melted chocolate in the batter would make the chocolate chips lest forceful, but that’s not the case at all. The whole brownie tastes moist and rich. And I just love how it forms a smooth, crackly layer on top, just like the best brownies from a box.

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