Crunchy Creamy Sweet

Triple Chocolate Quick Bread

January 28, 2012 by Anna

I know it’s technically still January, but my mind is already set on chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate!

February – the month of Valentine’s Day and the month of chocolate treats. Cakes, cupcakes, bars, cookies even drinks – it’s all coming!

I am starting the series of chocolate recipes with this quick bread. It’s a nice start because it’s a TRIPLE chocolate bread. 😀 Yep, I went there.

Cocoa powder, hot chocolate mix and chocolate chips create a trinity that puts this bread a bit higher than ol’ plain banana breads.

Surprisingly it is not overly sweet! The chocolate chips are sprinkled in the middle of the bread, where the crease usually creates during baking. The hot chocolate mix and cocoa powder create a nice, complementing mixture that you add to the dry ingredients, reducing the amount of flour.

The color makes you happy – the taste makes you melt. 🙂

January new+358a Triple Chocolate Quick Bread

Triple Chocolate Quick Bread

makes 2 loafs

1 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c oil or 1 stick of butter, melted and room temp.
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 overripe bananas, mashed ( about 1 cup )
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet ( 1.25 oz. ) hot chocolate mix
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 – 1/2 c chocolate chips
1/4 c milk

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease your loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients ( flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix ).
In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil and mix until just combined.
Add eggs and mashed bananas and vanilla and milk. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently, do not over mix.
Divide batter among your prepared pans. Sprinkle the chocolate chips in the center of each loaf, where the crease creates during baking. Gently pat it down with a spoon so some of the batter will cover it.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remember, there are chocolate chips hiding in the center. 🙂

Cool for few minutes in a pan and then invert onto a cutting board. Cool completely before cutting.

January new+352a Triple Chocolate Quick Bread

Are you looking forward to February?

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Hot Chocolate Frosting

January 26, 2012 by Anna

Mother Nature remains silent on the subject of snow. I am sure she will punish us with some worst-in-a-century snow storm. Or perhaps she heard me complaining about the heat in the middle of June last year? Being 9 months pregnant kind of gives you that right, no?

Aaaanyways, our calendar still shows it’s Winter, so I will enjoy Winter-y treats.

Like hot chocolate.

In a frosting.

On a cupcake.

Because that’s how I roll. 🙂

And because last January, I was on no-sugar no-sweets no-baking diet and now I am not. Revenge? It’s sweeeeeet. 🙂

January new+343a Chocolate Cupcakes with Hot Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition Cookbook

3 eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c shortening
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 c cold water

Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients ( flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt ).
Place shortening in a large mixing bowl and beat for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.
Add flour mixture alternating with water. Beat until just combined.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake 18 – 20 minutes, until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes in the pan for few minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack.
Cool completely before frosting.

Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

Hot Chocolate Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, cold
1/2 c ( 1 stick ) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 -4 c powdered sugar
1 packet ( 1.25 oz ) hot chocolate mix ( I used Dark Chocolate Sensation by Swiss Miss )

Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 20 – 30 seconds.
Add cold cream cheese and vanilla extract and beat until light and creamy.
Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat well. Add the hot chocolate mix and beat until well incorporated.
You can refrigerate it to stiffen it up a little or frost the cupcakes right away, and then refrigerate.
I used Wilton’s 1M tip to frost the cupcakes.

January new+345a Chocolate Cupcakes with Hot Chocolate Frosting

Piña Colada Blondies

January 22, 2012 by Anna

Dear Mother Nature,

Is it Spring yet?

What’s up with the bitter cold days and no snow? It’s almost the end of January!

Do you realize I have three disappointed kids that await the snow? We still haven’t taken our annual “making snow angels” photos!

How about we just skip it all to Summer, huh?

In the meantime, I will enjoy those blondies. They take me away to a beach where the warm sun bathes my face, sweet breeze brushes my hair… Where my kids can have FUN outdoors, making sand castles… Where my Hubby and I can enjoy our favorite Summer drink – Piña Colada.

Sincerely yours,
Anna

Those bars are gooey and rich! The rum flavor and coconut truly reminds you of Summer and the white chocolate adds to looks and sweetness.

The only thing I would change next time – is making them in 13″ x 9″ pan. They are sooo good!

If you long to warm and sunny days, like we do, you should make those blondies.

Piña Colada Blondies

1 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter, melted, cooled
1 eggs, slightly beaten
2 drops butter rum flavoring oil or 1 tsp rum extract
1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c shredded coconut
1/2 c white chocolate chips

No mixer needed with this recipe.
Grease and flour a 8″ x 8″ pan. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and set aside to cool in room temperature. ( You can microwave it for 18-20 seconds, until partially melted, then swirl the bowl or use fork to melt it entirely. Place in the fridge for 5-7 minutes, pull out and set on the counter. )
In the meantime, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients ( flour, baking powder and salt ).
In a large mixing bowl, stir butter and sugar with a wooden spoon. Add egg and rum extract. Stir until all smooth.
Slowly add the dry ingredients. Stir until all is well combined.
Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips.
Scrape the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes. Let cool before cutting.
Those bars are the best eaten the same day as baked. Store in air-tight container.

What is the weather like in your part of country / world? Are you enjoying the outdoors?

I hope you enjoy this recipe!