National Chocolate Week Recipes

Extra Moist Chocolate Lava Cakes

Happy National Chocolate Week!

I’ve been doing my best to eat a lot of chocolate to celebrate.  However, I wasn’t able to bake anything this week because of midterms in my 16 week classes and finals in my 8 week classes.

No worries, though, because I’ve been stalking some of my favorite blogs for their chocolate recipes.  Check them out!  (All of the following photos belong to the owners of each website.)

Chocolate Snickerdoodles by Baked Bree:

Chocolate Velvet by Love and Olive Oil:

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes by Your Cup of Cake:

Sweet Chocolate Kiss Cookies by Cake Spy:

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Peanut Butter Brownies by Sweet Pea’s Kitchen:

Chocolate Ice Box Cupcakes by Two Peas and Their Pod:

How have you been celebrating National Chocolate Week? Leave links!  I would love to see your chocolate creations.

Giveaway Winner + Vanilla Gelato with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache Topping

Congratulations to Jennie over at The Messy Baker Blog for winning the Redwood Hill giveaway!

She is a lucky girl!  But, if you didn’t win, don’t worry… I will have more giveaways.

Okay, two really exciting things happened this week:

1.  The president of Micronesia visited my college on Sunday.

2. I got Homecoming Queen.  Funny story, though… they got two “Homecoming King” sashes, so I got to rep a king sash all night long.  Don’t care!

Anyway, before it gets too cold, I want to share one more freezing cold recipe with you.

I have eaten Gelato a few times, but this is the first time I had ever made it.  I could not believe how creamy it was.  So decadent and the chocolate peanut butter topping was also smooth and creamy, so there were some nice textures going on.

If you happen to get another unseasonably warm day, I suggest you make this Gelato.

Vanilla Gelato with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache Topping

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups vanilla Kefir (I’m obsessed with Kefir right now if you can’t tell)
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• ¼ cup creamer
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp oil

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and Kefir in a medium saucepan. Whisk and heat over medium heat, frequently scraping the bottom, until the mixture begins to barely simmer around the edges.
2. Then, stirring constantly and scraping the sides and corners of the pan to prevent scorching, let the mixture simmer for 2.5 to 3 minutes to fully cook the cornstarch.
3. Scrape the hot mixture into the bowl and whisk until well blended
4. Set in the freezer to cool for about 10-15 min.
5. When cool, whisk in the frozen yogurt until you get a smooth consistency.
6. Pour the Gelato mixture into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
7. Once frozen, melt the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and oil in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave until melted, about 1 minute.  Whisk until blended and spread evenly on top of the Gelato.
8. Freeze again until the chocolate layer has hardened.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Cake Balls

I’ve got probs.

First of all, I haven’t jumped on the pumpkin bandwagon and I’m still making summery, Funfetti-colored cake balls. I have already had: pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin coffee creamer, Starbucks pumpkin latte, store-bought pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin tea, but I have yet to bake pumpkin-flavored food.  (Actually, I did, but I forgot to take pictures so it doesn’t count.)

Second of all, I may have overdone it here with the triple flavor combo, but it worked.

So, yeah, I’ve got probs, but it’s okay because I made you cake balls.

These are just like regular cake balls, but instead of frosting, you use melted white chocolate and peanut butter.  Yum, yum, yum.

 White Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Cake Balls

Ingredients

• 1 pre-made cake (Use a box mix or your own recipe)
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter, melted  (Preferably Peanut Butter & Co Peanut Butter!)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips, melted
• 1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored almond bark

Directions

1. Crumble your pre-made cake in a bowl.
2. Mix in melted peanut butter and white chocolate.
3. Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4. Use a small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture.
5. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

Peanut Butter Butterfinger Frosted Brownies

Okay, I cheated.

I know I’ve said a million times that I hate using box mixes, but I didn’t say I don’t use box mixes.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends made brownies and everyone ate theirs with peanut butter.  Why wouldn’t they?  Peanut butter and chocolate are the ultimate culinary couple.

That’s when I thought, “dduuuhhh, I have to make brownies with peanut butter frosting.”  The Butterfinger’s were just a given.  Why wouldn’t I add them?

So, there’s that.  And then, I fed them to everyone I know and they were devoured isntantly.

These are a definite crowd pleaser.  There’s only a certain few recipes that I’ll make more than once, and this is one.

What’s your favorite way to spice up boxed brownie mixes?

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cream
• 2 regular sized Butterfinger’s
• 9×13 inch pan of brownies (I used Betty Crocker)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
2. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner’s sugar.
3. Mix in 1/4 cup of the cream.
4. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar.
5. Slowly fold in crushed up Butterfinger’s.
6. Frost cooled brownies.