DOUBLE CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

Ingredients
Double Chocolate Cookie:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
½ cup shortening
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1½ tsp vanilla extract
200 g high-quality dark chocolate, broken into ½-inch chunks
Sea salt
.
Marshmallow Fluff*:
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp water
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light corn syrup
4 liquid ounces egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
Pinch salt
1½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and shortening until smooth. Add the sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
Drop tablespoon-sized balls or dough onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the back of your hand, then sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 14-16 minutes until cookies are puffed. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the marshmallow fluff: in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add water, sugar, and corn syrup. Heat until the temperature reads 240°F with a candy thermometer.
While the sugar is heating, place the egg whites in the bowl of an stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and salt, and beat on high speed until soft peaks form.
Once the sugar mixture reaches temperature, carefully remove it from the heat and let rest for 15 seconds. With the mixer running on high, slowly stream the sugar mixture into the egg whites. Continue to mix for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the outside of the mixing bowl returns to room temperature. Add in vanilla; mix until medium-stiff peaks form.
Spread marshmallow fluff between two chocolate cookies and eat immediately.
Store leftover marshmallow fluff in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

double chocolate cherry thumbprint cookies

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Whole Egg, yolk separated from the white
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder Special Dark
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Package Melissa's Dried Bing Cherries (3 oz weight)
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet)
2/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

For The Cookies


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.



Cream butter and sugar until the butter is pale in color, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer. Add in egg yolk and vanilla until everything is well incorporated.



Sift the cocoa powder and flour before measuring. Use a knife to make level measurements of both, and add each to a medium sized bowl. Add the salt, and whisk all the ingredients together.



Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix until everything is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl.



Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mat. Form the dough into 1" balls, and roll in granulated sugar. Place on baking sheet, and use your finger to make a depression in the cookie. Don't depress so much that you end up touching the baking sheet.



Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes.



Remove from the oven, and depress the cookies again. Sometimes in the cooking process, the thumbprint will raise a bit.



Immediately remove to a wire rack to cool.


For the Ganache


Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until you see bubbles forming around the edges of the pot. Do not let the cream come to a boil.



Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips, and let sit for one minute. Using a whisk, mix the cream and chocolate chips together until smooth.


Finish The Cookies


Place one dried bing cherry in each of the depressions of the thumbprint cookies. Top with 1 teaspoon ganache, so that the cherry is completely covered, and the ganache touches the actual cookie. You want to cover the cherry completely and have it secure in the cookie, so it remains a surprise for the recipient!

Double Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

These Double Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies have a slightly crisp outer shell and are chewy and gooey on the inside almost like a brownie.

Ingredients

3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter 1 stick, room temp
1 - 3.4 oz Package Instant Chocolate Pudding
2 Eggs
1 Additional Egg Yolk
1 tsp Homemade Vanilla Extract
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Baking Cocoa
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 cup 60% Cocoa Chips
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
Instructions

Cream butter and sugars together until smooth.
Add pudding, eggs, additional egg yolk and vanilla. Beat for about one minute on medium speed.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a 1/2 cup at a time and mix until combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon sized scoops onto a nonstick baking sheet about two inches apart. I use this kind of scoop.


Bake at 350 F for 9-12 minutes.
Cool on pan for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Double Chocolate Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS:


For the crust:


1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 2 tablespoons regular + 2 tablespoons dark cocoa)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup (half a stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

3 to 5 tablespoons ice water



For the filling:


3 large eggs

1/2 cup dark brown sugar (lightly packed)

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup real maple syrup

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

4 tablespoons unsweetened butter, melted

2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces

pecan halves, for garnish


DIRECTIONS:


To make the crust:


Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the oil, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the butter slices, tossing to coat. Stir in the water, a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough gathers itself into a ball. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Fold it into thirds, like a letter. Roll out again to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat two more times. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours minimum.

Dust the work surface with flour, and roll the dough out to an inch or two larger than your pie plate. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer to the dish. Trim off any excess, then roll and crimp the edge.



To make the filling:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the eggs and brown sugar together, in a medium mixing bowl. Add the honey, maple syrup, melted chocolate, melted butter, bourbon (if using), vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined. Stir in the pecan pieces, and transfer to the prepared pie shell. Place pecan halves around the edge, to garnish.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set around the edges and just a little jiggly towards the center. Cool completely before slicing.

Baked Double Chocolate Banana Donuts

Ingredients

1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon
4 tablespoons raw cocoa
1 ripe banana
½ cup milk plant based or cows fat-free
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
4 tablespoons date syrup or honey
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raw cocoa beans or chia seeds for topping.

Chocolate glaze from melted dark chocolate
½ cup dark chocolate 70% cocoa and more
2-3 tablespoons milk plant based or cows fat-free

Chocolate glaze from raw coca
4 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
4 tablespoons raw cocoa
2 tablespoons date syrup or honey

Instructions



Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease donut pan.


In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients - flour, salt, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and raw cocoa.


In blender mix banana with milk.


In a separate bowl whisk egg whites. Add melted coconut oil, date syrup (or honey), Greek yoghurt and vanilla extract. Add mixed banana. Stir well.


Add dry ingredients into wet mixture. Mix well.


Fill donut pan with the mixture using a icing kit or simple plastic bag. Make sure you don't overfill.


Bake for 14-17 minutes and then allow donuts to cool for 5 minutes.


Tip donuts out and dip into a chocolate glaze. Sprinkle with raw cocoa beans or chia seeds.

Chocolate glaze


In a saucepan, one medium heat melt dark chocolate adding milk until mixture gets smooth. Add more milk if chocolate glaze is too thick.

OR Melt and cool a bit coconut oil. Add raw cocoa and syrup (or honey) and mix well with a whisk. Add more cocoa if glaze is too thin.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COCONUT ALMOND TRUFFLES

Ingredients

1-1/3 cups chopped white chocolate or good quality white chocolate chips
300 ml. sweetened condensed milk (approx. 1-1/4 cups)
1-1/2 tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1-1/4 cups crushed wafers*
1-1/3 cups shredded coconut unsweetened if you prefer things less sweet
1/4 cup whole unsalted roasted almonds
1-1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate 70%
3-4 tbsp. shredded dried coconut for topping here I used sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions



In a double boiler, or in a pan set over simmering water, melt the white chocolate. Once melted, stir until smooth.



To the melted white chocolate add the sweetened condensed milk, coconut oil and almond extract, mix well.



Add the crushed wafers to the white chocolate mixture and combine until blended.



Add one cup of the coconut to the white chocolate mixture and mix in. Test to see if mixture is too soft by forming a ball in your hands, if the mixture is still too soft add up to a 1/3 cup more of the shredded coconut and mix well.



Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.



Remove from the refrigerator and using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop (I used a size 60 scoop), scoop out mixture, start to roll mixture in your hands into a ball but before completely finishing, stuff an almond in the centre and pinch the ball to close the opening and then continue rolling until you have a nicely formed ball.



While shaping your truffles, melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. When chocolate starts to melt stir it with a spatula, turn off the heat but keep your bowl over the warm water so that your chocolate stays nicely melted.



Using a fork, dip each truffle into the chocolate, remove and place onto baking sheet. Repeat until all truffles are done. If desired, sprinkle truffles with dried coconut.



Place baking sheet in the refrigerator to set the chocolate coating on the truffles, once set (takes about 30-45 minutes), place each truffle into a mini paper cup.



To preserve truffles, layer them in a container between parchment paper and store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let truffles come to room temperature before serving.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

INGREDIENTS
Cake
2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 cup boiling water
Glaze
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup half-and-half

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 10-cup bundt pan generously with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated. Dissolve espresso powder in boiling water and mix in on low speed until combined.
Spoon batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth with an offset spatula; tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Bake for about 40 to 42 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully invert onto rack and cool completely.
For the glaze, place chocolate chips in a medium heat-proof bowl. Bring half-and-half to a simmer in a small saucepan; pour over chocolate chips and let stand for 1 minute, then stir with a spatula until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Let glaze stand for 15 minutes to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. Set rack with cake over a piece of wax paper and pour glaze over cake; let set before serving.