Tag Archives: chocolate

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Cinnalmond Bites and a Giveaway!!

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Hey, guys!

I’m super excited to share this recipe today because it comes with a giveaway for the cookbook No Bake Makery, for you! Though it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, I love an opportunity to give you stuff. I’m a gifter and I love it. BUT! let’s talk these little cookie, truffle bites.

These little bites are dead-easy to make. Everything gets whirled in the food processor all at once–chocolate cookies, cinnamon toast cereal, almonds, salt, a teensy bit of milk, and some honey.  The dough is then scooped, rolled, and chilled before getting dressed with some candy coating (or tempered chocolate). These bites are sweet-sweet-and-salty. I could see kids going crazy-nuts for these (and they could totally help!), but they make the perfect two-bite indulgence–which is sometimes all I want, just a few bites of sweetness.

No Bake Makery is a cookbook of sweet little treats by Cristina Suarez Krumsick (Tweet or Like), in the book you can find the recipe for these Cinnalmond Bites, along with dozens of other little, two-bite, no-bake treats…Now, for the giveaway details!

To enter, simply leave a comment sharing what your favorite no-bake treats are, as well as a good contact email address. I will choose one winner at random Wednesday, May 15th. Unfortunately this giveaway is only open to US residents with non-PO Box addresses.  (Don’t fret, I have another giveaway schemed up that will be open to all :)

*A copy of No Bake Makery was provided to me by the publisher, as well as the giveaway copy. As per usual, all opinions are my own. 

Cinnalmond Bites

From No Bake Makery

The recipe calls for almond milk, but I’m sure you could use whatever milk you’d like. These are also great from the freezer. 

12 chocolate sandwich cookies (Like JoesJoes or Oreos)

1 cup cinnamon toast cereal

5 tablespoons sliced almonds

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups candy melts or candy bark (or temper some chocolate, if you dare)

Line a cookie sheet with wax (or parchment) paper and set aside.

In a food processor, process the cookies and cereal until fine crumbs form, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons of the almonds and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and process for another 30 seconds. Add the honey and almonds milk and process another 30 seconds. Transfer to a clean bowl.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (I chilled the dough for 30 minutes before beginning this step). Place on the prepared cookie sheet and chill another 45 minutes.

Roughly chop the remaining almonds and mix with the remaining cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Melt the candy coating according to package instructions. Dip balls into the chocolate and place back on the sheet, sprinkle with almond mixture, and chill until coating is set, about 1 hour.

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Whiskey Brown-Butterscotch Pudding with Ganache + Sea Salt

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Pudding is my re-set dessert. It’s my no-fail stand-by.  The measuring is therapeutic–there aren’t that many ingredients and this recipe includes booze AND browned butter…so, there’s that. The constant whisking lets me get my thoughts together, there’s a comfort in the monotony. Plus, at the end…there’s warm, silky, lush pudding and there are few things finer than that.

This recipe combines some of my favorite dessert flavors all in one nostalgic cup. Think of these as the grown-up snack-pack…with all the layers that we all love, but with flavors that are decidedly adult. Toffee-like brown butter, sweet and deep brown sugar, fiery whiskey, dark and bitter chocolate, and a little flaky salt for good measure and crunch. The ganache top-hat does double duty–adding a welcome chocolatey bitterness, PLUS it seals the pudding, preventing the (dreaded) skin from forming. I love a practical and pretty garnish!

Whiskey Brown-Butterscotch Pudding w/ Ganache + Sea Salt

Makes 4 large or 8 moderate servings.

adapted from THIS recipe.

This recipe is adapted from an earlier post–I just really love homemade butterscotch pudding, guys! This version has a bit more butter and booze, and of course the ganache cap. This recipe can be made with whole or percent milk–I’ve made it both ways with great results. You can adjust the amount of whiskey for your liking. I did 4 tablespoons–it was super boozey and delish! 

Ganache:

3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped or chips

3 ounces heavy cream

sea salt for sprinkling

Pudding:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

3 egg yolks

2-4 tablespoons whiskey

1 teaspoon vanilla

Make the ganache first. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Begin by scalding the cream in a saucepan–that means heat the cream until small bubbles begin to form around the edges and some steam starts to rise off the surface of the cream–just before it begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate, cover the bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. After resting the chocolate should be melted, gently whisk the cream and chocolate until it is smooth, shiny, and completely combined. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pot, brown butter over medium low heat. The milk solids will become brown and smell nutty like toffee, watch it closely  so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and immediately stir in brown sugar and salt. Once the sugar is completely moistened with the butter, whisk in the milk.

In a small bowl whisk together the cream and the cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in the eggs. Whisk the egg mixture into the milk and butterscotch mixture and heat over medium, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens to coat a spoon and is the consistency of hot fudge sauce. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey and vanilla. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, pulse a few times to aerate. Pour into individual cups (4-8), spoon ganache over the top of each pudding cup and smooth over the top to cover completely, so that pudding is no longer exposed, and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Allow to cool slightly and chill for several hours, or until ready to serve. Serve with softly whipped, unsweetened cream.

 

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Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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Hey, Tuesday! I hope everyone that had a long weekend here in the US had a great time. We went impromptu car shopping on Saturday (our beloved, old car kicked the bucket and refused to budge) and Sean left for a business trip Sunday. It was a busier,  more emotional weekend than anticipated with the dying of the car and the need to find something in a single day. Which, in retrospect felt like a HUGE, overwhelming deal at the time, but now that things are back in order that huge deal has become NBD (I know, first world probs ya’ll).

I made these pancakes on Sunday as a little Hurray/Farewell, I think they helped AND I think that these are maybe my favorite pancakes ever. Sean always requests chocolate chip pancakes, they are his fave, and since we’re big fans of the classic orange-chocolate combo, I added the zest and juice of an orange for good measure. This pancake recipe is a breezey wet+dry situation and, with the addition of chocolate and orange, they are the kind of special that’s made easy. The pancakes cook up fluffy and tender and perfect. The decadent mix-ins make them irresistible even without syrup and butter, but there’s no judgement if you want a little extra sweetness. Sometimes you need it, ya know?

Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes

adapted from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys 

Make about 20, 3-inch pancakes

I add the juice from the orange to the milk–much like I would to make a buttermilk replacement with lemon and milk in a recipe. The acid from the orange may curdle the milk a bit, but that’s totally fine, go with it. If there isn’t enough orange juice to make 1/4 cup add store-bought orange juice to make up the difference or when mixing with the milk, add a bit more milk to make 1 1/4 cup total of liquid. I like mini chips in my pancakes because they suspend in the batter and are less likely to burn on the bottom of the pan. 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

generous 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup orange juice (squeezed from the zested orange)

1 cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

vegetable oil, for brushing the pan

maple syrup and butter, for serving

Preheat the oven to 200˚F, place an oven safe dish on the middle rack.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Toss in the chips and coat lightly with the flour mixture. Set aside. In a large measuring cup whisk together the orange zest, juice, and milk. Whisk in the egg and vanilla, to combine well. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the milk mixture into the center of the well. Add the butter and fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined–there may be a few small lumps, that’s okay. Do not overmix! or your pancakes will turn out chewy. Allow the batter to rest 5-10 minutes.

Heat a skillet (I use nonstick) or griddle over medium-high heat. Lightly brush the surface of the skillet with oil and pour in a scant 1/4 cup of batter, cook until bubbles begin to form all over the surface of the batter and the bottom is medium, golden brown. Flip the pancake and cook an additional minute or until the middles of the pancake are cooked through. Place the cooked pancake on the warmed plate in the oven. Repeat with remaining batter.  Serve warm with butter and syrup.

 

 

 

 

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Brownie Sundaes

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Guys, I know Valentine’s Day gets a bad rap for being too sweet, too commercial, too much…but! I’ve always been a believer in celebrating this day of love and appreciation, whether one is coupled or not. Before I met Sean, all of my Valentine’s were more of a Leslie Knope a la Galentine’s situation…which isn’t bad at all, if you ask me. I love my friends and my girlfriends are so very near and dear to my heart. Girlfriend’s are my spirit animal. It’s just the truth.

So, basically  what I’m saying is that even if you’d rather scrooge the day away, don’t do it alone. Or at least, don’t eat dessert alone. This brownie sundae was made for sharing, you can double up on the brownies and the ice cream and the fudge and just attack it with two spoons–as singles, as friends, as couples, whatevs! and whether it’s romantic or platonic, it’s the day to celebrate the loves of your life! Hugs and sundaes all around!

 

Brownie Sundaes

I cut the brownies out with heart cutters and mini heart cutters to up the festive/cute factor. This is a totally optional step, you can simply cut them into generous squares. These sundaes come together quickly using store-bought ice cream. You can use whatever brownie recipe you love, below I have my favorite. The fudge sauce really is no-nonsense, it comes together perfectly and swiftly in the microwave. The brownie and fudge recipe make enough for several sundaes. 

Brownies (recipe below)

No Nonsense Hot Fudge (recipe below)

Ice Cream (softened slightly for easy scooping)

Toasted Almonds (optional)

If the brownies are room temperature or chilled, pop in the microwave in 10 second bursts until just warm. Place a brownie (or two) in the center of a bowl, spoon a bit of warm fudge over the top of the brownie. Dish out 2-3 scoops of ice cream, top with more hot fudge and almonds (if using). Serve with two spoons.

Spiced Cocoa Brownies

adapted from this recipe. 

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa plus 2 Tablespoons

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cold eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 325*F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment and grease well. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla, to moisten and combine well. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool a few minutes–until no longer hot, but still warm to the touch. The mixture may appear grainy and a bit greasy.

Once the mixture has cooled to warm and the pan is no longer burning-hot, vigorously whisk in the eggs one at a time until completely incorporated–the mixture should be smooth and shiny. Fold in the flour, fold about 40 times. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl whisk together the tablespoon of sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top of the brownie batter. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before cutting.

No-Nonsense Hot Fudge

recipe from Take a Megabite

2/3 (1, 5 oz. can) cup evaporated milk

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

pinch of salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

In a large, heatproof measuring cup combine all of the ingredients. Using the microwave on high, microwave the mixture in 30 second bursts, stirring after each, until the mixture is melted, smooth, and mixed well–about 2 minutes total. Allow the fudge to set up a 1-3 minutes for the best consistency.

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Orange Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

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These days I can’t let a birthday pass without baking something festive. Something homemade and tailored to the birthday girl/boy’s specific taste. If there is ever a time to bust out a layer cake and sprinkles, it’s on a birthday.

I thought about Sean’s birthday cake for months–chocolate is always a given, and the orange was added because the dude loves the zesty-ness of oranges juxtaposed against deep, dark chocolate. I made this cake for my guy because it’s his favorite. Because he is the best guy who makes me laugh every single day, and he doesn’t even get annoyed by my constant stream-of-consciousness singing…seriously, I’m pretty sure it’s like living in a really bad musical about the minutiae of life…and in my book that’s more than enough to deserve a birthday cake.

The cake is easy to put together, with a nice crumb and perfect tenderness. Lots of orange zest makes it bright and flavorful. The chocolate frosting has sour cream that brings a bit of tang to cut the dark richness–it spreads across the cake like a dream and takes on a fudgey quality once it’s set. A heavy dose of sprinkles make it the perfect party cake. Candles and tall glasses of milk are optional, but highly recommended.

Orange Cake

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

2 3/4 cups cake flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange zest (I used 6 oranges)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line two 8inch round cake pans with parchment circles, grease the pans and the parchment, set aside.

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup whisk together the vanilla, orange juice, and sour cream. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, rub the orange zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add the melted butter and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition.  Add half of the dry ingredients, mix gently to combine, followed by the orange-sour cream mixture to combine, followed by the remaining dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake in the center of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans on a cooling rack about 10 minutes before turning out and cooling completely.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Adapted slightly from Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes

I subbed the corn syrup for golden syrup and added extra sour cream where the recipe called from half and half. 

12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped or in chips

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons golden syrup

pinch of salt

3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature

Melt the chocolate, butter, golden syrup, and salt over a double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream. Continue to whisk until spreadable, but still soft–use to frost the cake immediately. The frosting will set up to a fudge-like consistency at room temperature.

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Double Chocolate Doughnuts w. Chocolate Sprinkles

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It’s no secret we’re fiends for chocolate around here–Sean especially…and today is his birthday! Yay! I made these doughnuts with my favorite dude in mind, piling chocolate on top of chocolate with a sprinkling of more chocolate for good measure.

These doughnuts are of the baked variety–cakey and tender with an intense chocolate flavor. The glaze is a super simple mixture of powdered sugar, cocoa, and milk. The chocolate sprinkles are actually chocolatey, not just brown, adding that extra little bit of decadence.

Double Chocolate Doughnuts

Adapted (lightly) from Shutterbean

I used a heart shaped doughnut pan, making 1 dozen doughnuts–if you use a regular doughnut pan you should yield about 6 doughnuts. 

1 cup cake flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350*F. Lightly spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and sugar. In a large measuring cup whisk together the buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Mix the wet mixture into the dry until just combined. Scrape the batter into a plastic bag, cut off the tip, and pipe batter into doughnut pan wells–about 1/2 way up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes (heart shaped) or 13 for regular doughnuts. Allow to cool about 5 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a rack to cool. Glaze and sprinkle once doughnuts have cooled.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablsepoon unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons milk

Whisk all ingredients together until combined well. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin, to desired consistency.

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Double Chocolate + Pistachio Muffins

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Sometimes you want need chocolate for breakfast. Sometimes it’s a perfect pair with your third cup of coffee. Sometimes it’s just what you needed to make a gloomy morning seem brighter.

Chocolate muffins always make me happy–it’s like dessert for breakfast without actually being dessert. These muffins keep it real with healthful yogurt, a touch of olive oil, some nutty wheat germ, a bit of cocoa, some nuts for crunch, and a handful of chocolate chips for good measure. They aren’t too sweet, so go ahead and smear some berry jam on there. Or, if you want need to, a smear of nutella or cookie butter would be amazing–I totes won’t judge.

Double Chocolate + Pistachio Muffins

Makes 8 standard size muffins.

Adapted from this recipe. 

You could definitely leave out the pistachios and make these nut-free, or switch them out for another nut. 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

7 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons wheat germ (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, plus 1-2 tablespoons for topping

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tin with 8 paper liners.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, and soda. Fold in the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup nuts.

In a large measuring cup whisk the egg, whisk in the yogurt, oil, milk, and vanilla to combine well. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold until just combined. Divide the batter between muffin cups and sprinkle remaining nuts over the tops of each muffin. Bake in the center of the oven for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

 

 

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Hot Cocoa Mix and Vanilla Marshmallows

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Guys! The world totes didn’t end, so if you’ve maybe put off your holiday gifts I have this super easy Hot Cocoa Mix with Vanilla Marshmallows for ya.

I always try to put together gifts that I would like to receive–since I’m kind of picky, I’m my own holiday litmus test. One of my favorite wintertime gifts is a new mug. Just a mug though seems a little wan to me, so I like to add a little something homemade to make it personal and sweet. This hot cocoa mix comes together in about 2 minutes, while the marshmallows take a little longer, but if you have a mixer it will do a bulk of the work for you. To make the marshmallows extra special and glitzy, I like to add about 1/4 teaspoon luster dust (found with cake decorating supplies) into the dusting mixture  It makes the ‘mallows shimmer a bit and takes them into gifting territory. Certain people in my life are receiving this exact gift. I’m hoping they love it as much as I love them.

Speaking of love, Happy Holidays! You are amazing and thank you for reading my crazy ramblings, peeping at my pictures, and being generally awesome.

Love and Peace to you all! XO!

Hot Cocoa Mix and Vanilla Marshmallows

Since this cocoa mix relies mainly on 2 ingredients, use a cocoa powder you really love. I used Valrhona–which is my favorite of favorites. I think a little espresso powder would be a nice addition as well. The marshmallows can be flavored however you’d like–peppermint would be super fun and appropriate, I think.

Cocoa Mix:

Adapted from Martha Stewart

3 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean (optional)

2 cups cocoa powder

Whole Milk to serve.

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and in a bowl, rub the vanilla seeds into the sugar until fragrant and well dispersed. Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine.

For Cocoa: Stir 1-2 Tablespoons cocoa mix with 8 ounces of hot milk. Top with marshmallows.

Vanilla Marshmallows:

Adapted from this recipe. 

2/3 cup cold water

4 teaspoons powdered gelatin

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean

1/2 cup water

scant teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons each powdered sugar and cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon luster dust–optional

In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over the 2/3 cup water and set aside to soften.

Spray a 9X13inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a gallon bag, shake together the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and luster dust. Set aside.

Scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean and in a bowl rub seeds into the sugar until fragrant and well dispersed. In a medium saucepan combine sugar with water and stir gently to moisten. Heat the sugar and water over medium heat without stirring, until sugar dissolves and comes to a boil, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin and vanilla to combine.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the syrup until it becomes light in color, voluminous, and holds a medium-stiff peak. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and dust the top with powdered sugar. Allow to set up several hours before cutting and shaking the pieces in the powdered sugar mix to coat well. Can be kept in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

 

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Marble Cake

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Marble cake speaks to the gemini and the indecisive-crazy-person in me. I mean it’s two different cakes in ONE CAKE.

There really isn’t a way to lose.

This cake is dense yet tender in the crumb and manages to be moist yet sturdy. The light batter is fragrant with vanilla and butter, the dark batter is rich and dense with dark chocolate. I think it’s key not to go too crazy with the marbling, so you can taste the two distinct flavors–just a few swirls with a knife or a toothpick through the batter give you just enough marble, leaving you with dedicated sections of vanilla and chocolate cake. This cake has the character of a pound cake–it’s dense and rests well, getting even better the 2nd and 3rd day. It’s totally the kind of cake to have around for impromptu coffee dates and, I have a hunch, would probably ship well–a theory I plan to test this holiday season.

Marble Cake

Adapted from Baking: from My Home to Yours

The original recipe calls for a little less butter, but I was being a bit of a space-cadet and just chucked two whole sticks of butter into my mixer–the batter was made before I realized my mistake, but the cake definitely didn’t suffer from the extra butter. I used an 80% dark chocolate bar–this made for a super-dense and rich chocolate batter–use a good quality chocolate, whatever is your fave will work great.

2 cups, plus 2 Tablespooons, all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces), room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1/2 cup milk

4 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 325*F. Grease and line a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with parchment, place the pan on top of a sheet pan. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Working with a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat another 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. The batter may look curdled at this point, but that is okay. Scrape the bowl and beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Reduce speed to low and alternately add flour and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Place 1/2 of the batter in a separate bowl and fold in the melted chocolate so you have a vanilla batter and a chocolate batter.

Alternately drop spoonfuls of batter into the loaf pan until the pan is filled with the batter and plunge a butter knife into the batter, making a zig-zag pattern from one end of the pan to the other. Do this only once for a perfectly marbled batter. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes uncovered. Cover loosely with foil and continue to bake another 30-40 minutes, until the vanilla batter on top is golden brown, the top is cracked, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before turning out and cooling completely. Wrap cool cake well with plastic. Can be kept, wrapped well, at room temperature for several days.

 

 

 

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Pumpkin-Chocolate Swirl Buns

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I know that I just lamented about pumpkin, but, truth be told…I’m not even close to being over it yet.

I’ve been eyeing this recipe for Chocolate Swirl Buns since I saw them on Smitten Kitchen over the summer, but I wanted to wait until the air was crisp and the leaves were fallen before I delved into it. There’s just something about baking with yeast when the cooler months start rolling in, that I cannot resist…I can’t resist pumpkin right now either…surprise!

So, given my love of fall-time baking AND pumpkin AND chocolate, these buns were a no-brainer-mega-hit. I had 3, THREE, the day I made them. My husband had a few himself, and the rest got sent to his office and out of the danger zone–aka, my face. The dough is super-soft and tender, lightly flavored with pumpkin and cinnamon, and slightly sweet. The spiced chocolate filling is the best thing when still warm–gooey, melty, and just spiced. The egg wash and sugar crust make for the best crisp-crunch on the tops of the buns. I love the way the buns unravel, allowing you to eat layer-after-layer of perfectly tender, yeasted dough, with bits of crunchy sugar topping, and rich, gooey pockets of chocolate. Though these buns may be nice for an ultra-decadent weekend brunch, they would be perfect along side an afternoon pick-me-up, as well.

Pumpkin-Chocolate Swirl Buns

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 12 buns.

This recipe calls for a bit more liquid and flour than the original and yield buns that are a little larger. I also switched the sugar in the dough and filling to brown, but regular granulated sugar would be perfectly fine. The dough is pretty soft, so work gently and flour the counter and rolling pin liberally to keep things from getting too sticky. Though these are best eaten soon after baking, you can pop leftover buns in the microwave for 10-15 seconds–mimicking that ‘just-baked’ warmth. 

Dough:

1/3 cup warm milk

1/3 cup plain pumpkin puree

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 Tablespoons unsalted, softened butter

Filling:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

8 ounces (1 cup) chocolate chips, or chopped bar

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Egg Wash:

1 egg

1 Tablespoon cream

sugar for sprinkling

In measuring cup, combine milk with yeast and a pinch of sugar. Allow to proof 5 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and the egg. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attatchement, combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the yeast-pumpkin mixture and mix on low to combine. Add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, mixing until the butter is incorporated before adding the rest. Scrape dough from the paddle, add the dough hook attachment  and knead on medium speed for 10 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky and stringy. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While the dough rises, make the filling. In the bowl of a food processor, process all ingredients until all of the butter is distributed and you have an uneven, gravely mixture. Set aside.

Liberally butter a 12-cup muffin tin. Set aside.

Once dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and gently deflate. Allow to rest 5 more minutes, before rolling the dough out into a large rectangle, the short end measuring about 12 inches–the long edge can be about 18-22 inches. Sprinkle the chocolate filling evenly over the rectangle, it will be bumpy, and begin rolling from the short end all the way up into a 12-13 inch log and pinch to seal. Gently saw off about 1-inch spirals, placing each into a prepared tin. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise another hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350*F.

Whisk together the egg and cream, brush gently over the tops of the proofed buns and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Bake in the center of the oven for 15-25 minutes. Mine took closer to 25 minutes to bake. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.