Raspberry Cheesecake in a Chocolate Crust

Treat your valentine to something divine.

This cheesecake may look pretty in pink, but it's truly a work of pure decadence. Made with homemade homemade raspberry sauce mixed right in the batter, it is baked to perfection atop a crave-worthy chocolate crust, then topped with more sauce and dusted prettily with confectioners’ sugar.

Amazing seems like too small a word for this beautiful combination of whipped cream cheese, tart berries, and rich dark chocolate. Love is in the air! 

Raspberry Cheesecake in a Chocolate Crust

• Yield: one 9-inch cheesecake (8 servings) - printable version here
• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Total time: 75 minutes, plus cooling time

For the crust

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 bar (3.5 ounces) 85% Cacao Extra Dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

For the raspberry topping and filling

• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries, thawed and crushed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the cheesecake filling

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) regular (full-fat) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup completed raspberry topping/filling
• red food coloring (optional)
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the finished cake

Procedure

1. Prepare to bake. Position a rack in the middle position of your oven, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. If you have any doubt at all about how securely your springform pan seals, line the bottom of the pan with foil to prevent seepage.
2. Make the crust. In a large bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients, and stir until combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, patting it firmly to pack it in.
3. Bake the crust for 5-7 minutes, or until the top of the crust has a matte appearance (looking out for golden edges is difficult given the dark hue that the chocolate imparts). Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool. Do not turn off the oven, but reduce the heat to 375 degrees F.
4. Prepare the raspberry topping and filling. Combine all of the ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Apply medium heat, and stir the mixture frequently until it begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat and set to the side. Once cooled, reserve ¼ cup of the mixture to add to your cheesecake, but place the rest of the mixture in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the cake.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until really smooth, about 5 minutes on medium-high speed.
6. Add the sugar, flour, and salt, and mix on medium speed until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
7. Add the butter and the two eggs, and mix on low speed until completely incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
8. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract and ¼ cup of the raspberry mixture (reserving the rest to top the cake). Stir only until evenly distributed. The raspberry mixture will impart a pretty rose color on the cake. If desired, you can augment the color with a few drops of red food coloring, though this is not necessary.
9. Pause for a moment, and generously grease the sides of the springform pan (with the baked crust inside). Pour the cheesecake mixture in the springform pan, spreading it to make sure it evenly fills out the pan.
10. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the sides appear golden and the middle has just the tiniest jiggle to it. Remove from the oven and transfer the entire pan to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the sides of the cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature, and then transfer to the refrigerator to cool for a minimum of 3 hours before serving. Do not place the cake in the refrigerator before the cheesecake cools to room temperature or it can form condensation on the top.
11. When ready to serve, use the remaining raspberry mixture to top the cheesecake, and dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Recipe notes:

• Make-ahead tip: the crust and the raspberry sauce can be prepared a day in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Using low-fat cream cheese is not suggested in this recipe.
• Store leftovers, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Two-Layer Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate cream pie is good. No, it's great. But I made it better by burying a thick layer of ganache under the homemade chocolate custard. And then I added a bunch of cacao nibs.

Yup: this pie features, in this order, from the bottom up:

• Pie crust
• Chocolate ganache
• A scattering of cocoa nibs
• Chocolate custard
• Another scattering of cocoa nibs

What makes this pie extra special, though, is that it features chocolate from Asheville's French Broad Chocolates.

I have had the good luck of befriending the chocolate lounge here in Asheville--I designed yoga pants (which you can buy, too!) featuring illustrated versions of their chocolate desserts...

 and they gave me a bunch of chocolate and cacao nibs to bake with. 

If you are able to, you really should buy chocolate from them. Their dark chocolate tablets are just so freaking good. Rich, almost coffee-like in their dark flavor, they make any chocolate dessert a true shining star. 

Each layer on its own is great; together, they're mind blowing. It's like, CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE...but with just a little salty-buttery-non chocolate contrast from the crust, which adds the slightest contrast. That slight non-chocolate element actually heightens all of the chocolate, if that makes sense. 

This pie evolved as a recipe. When I first made it, I was just going to make a fairly simple ganache-filled pie crust, because I figured simple was best when using exquisite ingredients. But when I poured the ganache in the shell, there was still a lot of space to fill in the crust. So I made a hasty custard of sorts, grabbing some cocoa and milk and an egg and some starch. I made it based on memory rather than a recipe, and was amazed that it worked. So after this happy accident, which my sweetheart declared his favorite pie ever, I decided this was the only way to make this pie ever again!

Two-layer chocolate cream pie 

Makes 1 pie 

1 blind-baked pie crust, cooled 

Ganache layer

• 6 ounces chocolate
• 6 ounces milk or cream
• loose handful of cacao nibs

Custard layer

• 1 cup cold milk 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• pinch salt 
• another loose handful of cacao nibs

* Have the pie crust at the ready, and make the ganache.

Chop the chocolate (or don't and use this method) and place in a heatproof bowl. 

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk or cream to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Mix until combined; it will be pretty liquid. Pour into the pie shell, garnish with a loose handful of cacao nibs, and put it in the fridge to set.

Make the custard. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan. Heat on low, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat; I like to give it a stir to re-incorporate anything that might have set on the bottom of the pan at this point. Then pour on top of the ganache layer, and sprinkle with the remaining cacao nibs. 

Refrigerate for a couple of hours to let the custard set. 

Enjoy! 

Chocolate Double Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Oh, so you're doing Whole 30? I've got a better idea for you: eat some chocolate peanut butter out of a peanut butter cookie cup. Go ahead, add some salt on top while you're at it. 

While you ponder the pleasure of eating these things, let me explain where I got the brilliant idea for this recipe.

A few months ago I was commissioned to make a recipe for Peanut Butter and Company: peanut butter cookie cups that could be filled with milk. I made that recipe, and it was fantastic.

But in the several times that I made the cookie cups, at a certain point I started to wonder what else I could fill them with. And the best answer was the easiest one: another PB+Co product, their Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter. This stuff is so good that you can go to town with it and a spoon, but it's even better when cradled in a peanut butter cookie cup. 

So basically, what I am saying is that you should make the peanut butter cookie cups from this recipe, and if you feel like you don't want all of them to be used as vessels for milk, do this instead.

Chocolate Double Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Makes 18 or so

For the cookie cups:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

To fill:

1 jar (give or take) Dark Chocolate Dreams (chocolate peanut butter)

1. Position two racks in the middle position of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grab two 12-cup muffin tins, and either line 18 cups (you can do 9 and 9 in each tin, or 12 in one tin and 6 in another) of each with cupcake liners, or generously grease and flour the wells, if not using cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set to the side.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and peanut butter until silky in texture and totally combined, about 1-2 minutes on high speed.
4. Pause to add the two types of sugar, and mix briefly on low speed and then as the sugar is absorbed, increase the speed to high, mixing until the butter and sugar mixture is fluffy and light. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing briefly to incorporate each one into the mixture.

6. Add the flour mixture to the dough, and mix until incorporated.

7. Scoop 1/4 cup of dough into each cupcake liner or prepped portion of the tin.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden on top. Remove from the oven and transfer to wire racks. They will look like cupcakes.

9. Let cool for about a minute, and then grab a spoon and do something that feels very strange: press the centers of each cupcake-looking portion in, forming a well in the center. Be careful; the cookies are still hot, but it’s important to do this while they are still soft. If you did not use cupcake liners, also run a sharp knife along the edge of each cookie cup to loosen it from the sides.

10. Let the cups cool completely. Once cooled, either invert the pan to remove the cups (if unlined), or remove the cups and remove the liners.

11. Fill each cup with a generous spoonful of Dark Chocolate dreams..

 then garnish with a sprinkling of salt. EAT. 

How would you fill a peanut butter cookie cup?

3 Ingredient Sweetened Condensed Chocolate Milk Pie

For me, sweetened condensed milk is a bit like the dessert equivalent of sriracha sauce. That is to say, I like to use it as a sauce for any and everything. 

I mean, seriously, have you ever tried brownies drizzled with sweetened condensed milk? Or birthday cake? Or ice cream? Try any and all of these things immediately, if you have not already. 

The other day, finding myself with a lack of dessert, I decided that wanted to make something easy, and that it had to include sweetened condensed milk. 

I had been thinking recently about the unique texture that the SCM (sweetened condensed milk) attains when baked on top of magic cookie bars, and found myself thinking that it might make for a fine texture for a tart/pie filling. I was right.

So what I did was as easy as this: I melted some chocolate into the SCM, poured it in an unbaked pie shell, and baked it up. 

While the filling remains soft all through baking, the top of the pie forms a brownie-like "crust". As the filling cools, it firms considerably.

While it's not too hard to eat, it is difficult to keep the crust intact when you cut it straight from the fridge, but seriously, I think you'll survive if it is less than pin-worthy for a moment.

As for the flavor? Perfection. It's like caramel chocolate contained in a shattery, buttery, carbohydrate hug. There is no wrong part about this pie. 

Sweetened Condensed Chocolate Milk Pie

Makes one pie - printable version here

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 10 ounces dark chocolate 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the top of a double boiler, melt together the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate until totally combined and smooth and thick. Ohhhh baaaaaby. 

Pour the mixture into the pie shell.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until "set" on the edges (but still with a distinct jiggle in the middle; it will set and firm as it cools) and the crust is golden. Now, I'll tell you at this moment: that big time range is because I baked this pie at high altitude, and that can make things screwy. At sea level, it might be on the lower end of things. Just keep an eye on it, ok? 

Remove from oven, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours before serving so it can attain the perfect texture. 

Enjoy! 

Pine Nut Snowballs

Do you ever have those days where you don't feel like writing a recipe headnote? Bloggers know what I mean, I'm pretty sure. Well, I don't feel like writing about this recipe. All I want to tell you is that these pine nut snowballs are freaking delicious and that you should make them immediately.

OK, I'll talk for just another second to impart this wisdom.

Snowballs (or whatever you want to call them) are a delicious holiday cookie which proliferates around the holidays. Often, these buttery cookies are made with walnuts or pecans. Nothing wrong with this. But pine nuts (pinon) are probably among the most buttery of nuts (I just made myself laugh saying that btw), and they do in fact make these already buttery cookies taste even MORE buttery. 

OK, I really don't feel like saying any more. Make these now. You won't regret it!

Pine Nut Snowballs 

Makes about 20 (give or take, depending on size)

• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, soft 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 1/2 cup or so more for rolling the finished balls

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Crush the toasted and cooled pine nuts. I like to put them in a sturdy bag, and whack them with a rolling pin. It scares my pugs, so I try to make it fast. 

Once crushed, whisk the nuts together with the flour and salt to kind of sift it together.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in the vanilla.

Incorporate the dry mixture with the moist ingredients, mixing only until cohesive. It's gonna be crumbly.

Form into balls (about 1 inch or a little larger). Place on baking sheets with about 2 inches in between.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until "set". Remove from oven, let cool briefly, and then roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Re-roll directly before serving.

Enjoy!

What's your favorite Christmas cookie?

Homemade Chocolate Pop-Tarts

Let me tell you a story about how deeply, to-the-core evil, I am. It involves pop-tarts. 

OK, so when I was young, and it would have to have been before I was six, because this was before my little sister was born, my mom would, on occasion, take out a shiny two-pack of chocolate pop tarts. She would open it, and give one of the precious pop tarts to me, and the other to my older sister. 

Here's what I would do with that pop-tart. I would hold it in my hand while watching my sister eat hers. And only when she was just about done would I start eating mine. The entire reason for my doing this was to hold it over her. I didn't have many ways to exert power as the little sister who was more bookish than scrappy, so I held on to these little opportunities with all my might. 

Amazingly, I have no recollection of her ever shoving me and or grabbing my tart and running with it. I would have deserved it. 

I still have a lot of love for pop tarts, but I have no delusions about them being actual food. However, when you make your own toaster pastries, you can enjoy the nostalgia but actually up the flavor game. 

When I was assigned to make a chocolate pie crust for Craftsy, the recipe yielded two crusts. With one, I rolled it out in the traditional way and blind-baked it; it was the perfect shell to fill with a creamy chocolate filling.

But with the second crust, I rolled it out, cut it into rectangles, and made myself some choco pop tarts. 

Man, was this a good decision. BURSTING with chocolatey flavor, they satisfied my nostalgia, but tasted totally grown-up. And they delighted everyone who came into contact with them. I would say that I win! You can win, too. Here's the recipe. 

Chocolate Pop Tarts

Makes 6 pop tarts - printable version here

• 1 portion chocolate pie dough (from this recipe) 
• about 12 squares of dark chocolate (I used squares from Perugina dark chocolate bars)
• 10 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped 
• 5 ounces heavy cream
• White nonpareil sprinkles 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Roll out the pie crust into a vaguely rectangle-like shape; standard or slightly thin pie crust thickness, about 1/8 inch thick (remember, you're stacking double portions to form the tarts). Cut out 12 equally sized rectangles. 

Oh, and if you have leftover bits of dough, don't toss it. Roll them up with some butter and sugar and cinnamon and make roly polies! Bake them in the oven while you bake the tarts.

Press 1 1/2 squares of dark chocolate in the center of each of the 6 rectangles.

Place a second rectangle on top, and crimp the edges to seal them, using the tines of a fork. Press the tines in the center of each tart to create a little escape valve for steam. By this point I had transferred the tarts to the lined baking sheet.

Place the tray in the oven; bake until the tarts are "set" - on the low end, 6 minutes, or longer depending on your oven. Just keep an eye on them. Once they have a dull finish on top and look toasty on the edges, remove from the oven.

Let them cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. 

While they cool completely, make the topping. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream to the simmering point. Pour the cream over the chocolate and mix until smooth. 

Spread/pour some of this ganache on top of the tarts.

I like to do this while they're on parchment over the wire rack because nothing will drip through; once that chocolate sets it is still delicious, even if messy. Immediately top with sprinkles (while the topping is still wet). Let the topping set for a while, then enjoy your tarts. 

Hoarding your tart until your companion has finished theirs = optional. 

Want more pop tarts? Here's a recipe for traditional pop-tarts, inspired by my friend Peabody.

What's your favorite pop-tart flavor?

Banana Buttercream

Can I tell you about this cool thing I did with a gross banana? 

OK, so I shouldn't have written that. As I looked back at it I immediately could see that it could be interpreted in very many wrong ways, but at the same time, it made me laugh, so I'm keeping it.

Anyhow, back to the gross banana. It's totally gross. It got this way because it was in my car and I forgot about it for 2 days. Sorry, banana.

Well, I had just recently made banana bread so I wanted to try something different, and found myself thinking: hey, could I make buttercream with a banana? 

Well, as fast as I could peel that awful thing I did and decided to see what would happen.

I started by discarding the yucky peel.

Then, I put my banana in my stand mixer. I added some sugar.

I added a bunch more. After about 3 cups I believed I had something here; after 6 cups, it was of a buttercream consistency.

It is thicker and more viscous than buttercream - I think that is the nature of the beast. But it worked! I topped some of my recently baked hot milk cake with it, and it was glorious. It was very sweet because quite a bit of sugar did have to be added, but tasty. I think with caramel, or with some salt, it would have been even better. 

But you know, I decided the fun should not in fact stop there. The buttercream sets firm, so I decided I should make use of it quickly. So I slightly chilled it in the fridge, then rolled it into little banana buttercream balls. Which I coated in rainbow sprinkles, because that is what one does, right? 

So, there you have it: banana buttercream is a thing, it's vegan, and it's here for you. Here's how you do it.

Banana buttercream

Makes about 2 cups 

• 1 very ripe, almost gross, banana
• 4-6 cups confectioners' sugar

(note: I didn't add vanilla or anything, but I think it's a good idea! I just forgot in my excitement over the experiment)

Combine the banana and 2 cups of confectioners' sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream it together; as the sugar is absorbed, add more, 1 cup at a time, until it reaches a good spreading consistency. Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla or a little salt if you wanna. 

Use it on whatever cake or cookies you'd like! Enjoy! 

Psst! If you like this, you might enjoy this avocado cake recipe, which features avocado buttercream!

Have you ever made an "alternative" buttercream? 

Let's Make Lavash.

Let's make lavash. Wait, what's lavash? 

Lavash is a traditional Armenian flatbread made simply, using a handful of ingredients. It can be rolled very thin and served cracker-like, or rolled thicker for a more naan-like result. I got curious about making it for two reasons:

1. Because it's one of the recipes I've worked with on my Baking Steel book project.

2. Because I got some avocado oil in the mail and I wanted to try something out with it. 

As a side note: did you know that avocado oil is actually green? For some reason this surprised me. 

So, I made this lavash, and I have to tell you, I don't know why I haven't made it before. I rolled mine thick, so that it had a pillowy, naan-like texture. It is a little denser and more substantial than a pita bread, with a subtle sweetness and yes, a mellow avocado undertone from the avocado oil, which was sent to me by CalPure. I added a little bit of spice on top of mine (a purchased mix from Savory Spice shop called "Colorado Plateau Citrus Pepper", consisting of black pepper, garlic, orange peel, lemon peel, citric acid, onion, and Smoked sweet paprika) for a bit of added flavor, and it took the bread from tasty to totally tantalizing. 

OK, so take a chance on something new and try out lavash. You won't regret it!

Lavash

Makes about 20 pieces - printable version here

Ingredients

• 120 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
• 1 grams (1/4 teaspoon) active dry yeast
• 8 grams (2 teaspoons) sugar
• 8 grams (2 teaspoons) salt
• 72 grams warm water (about ⅓ cup)
• 8 grams (2 teaspoons) avocado oil (can use olive or other oil here), plus more for brushing bread
• Seeds or spices, to top
• Salt to taste    

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add in warm water and oil to mix until all incorporated.

Knead dough until smooth consistency, maybe adding water if it's too dry. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 hour.

Knock dough down and let rise again for 3 more hours.

Remove dough from container onto floured work surface. Roll out to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (thinner if you want it more cracker-like). 

Cut dough sheets into random size pieces about 5-9 inches (about twice the size of tortilla chips). Brush one side with more avocado oil.

Heat up a skillet over medium-high heat. 

Toast, oil side down, for 1 minute or until golden brown. While first side is down, brush oil on the back side and sprinkle the spices on top, if using

Flip and toast on the second side, noting that it will take less time than the first side. Once done, transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Continue with the remaining portions of dough. tore these, loosely wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

What's your favorite flatbread?

4 Ingredient Almond Butter Pomegranate Cookies (Gluten Free)

Peanut butter and jelly? Yawn. It's all about almond butter and pomegranate now.

Since when, you might be asking? Um, well, since I received the biggest shipment ever of pomegranates and pomegranates. It was a free shipment from POM Wonderful. I thought that they were going to send me, like, six pomegranates.

Nope--they sent me like 20, plus a ton of arils. Basically, Everything's all about pomegranate right now. By everything I mean every recipe, every housewarming gift I offer, every morsel that passes through my mouth: it somehow involves pomegranate. And it's been fairly pleasurable. I have used them in tacos, I have given them to professional photographers, I have written about how to cut and de-seed a pomegranate, I have eaten more pomegranate than I've ever eaten in my life. 

Oh, and I also made cookies. Not just any cookies. The easiest but best type of cookies: the type that come together in minutes, and the ingredients are really just things that you probably already have on hand anyway.

This is an adaptation of my 3-ingredient almond butter cookies from Craftsy. In this version, it's a little augmented: instead of just three ingredients, I've added an honorary fourth: pomegranate.

The arils look like little gems on top of the cookies, and they add a pleasing tart flavor to the rich-sweet almond butter cookies. 

It's a simple addition, but a good one. I vote that almond butter and pomegranate should be an Official Thing, starting right here and now. 

Go ahead! Give it a try. Oh, and if you're living la vida gluten-free, lucky you: these are naturally grain and gluten-free. They're really like little mini almond butter souffles. 

4 ingredient almond butter pomegranate cookies

Makes about sixteen 2" cookies

• about 16 teaspoons of pomegranate arils 
• ½ cup almond butter
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Scatter the arils on a sheet of paper towel. Use a second paper towel to blot them dry. This will keep them clean and from making your cookies gummy.

Position a rack in the middle position of your oven, and preheat the oven to 300 F. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone mat. 

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together. They will come together into a decidedly batter-like mixture: thick, but still quite soft. 

Spoon teaspoonfuls of batter on to your prepared baking sheet, with a little space around each cookie to accommodate some spreading. You can use the back of the spoon to smooth the batter into a more pleasing circle shape, but don't spread it too thin. 

Sprinkle a few arils on top of each cookie.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, or for as long as it takes for the cookies to appear "set". This can depend on your oven and your altitude. I baked this particular batch at high altitude so they took a little longer, but I am including the instructions I used for the almond butter cookies I baked in North Carolina. Just keep on checking them til they're done, ok? 

Remove from the oven; let the cookies cool on the sheet for a while before transferring the entire parchment sheet to a wire rack so they can cool completely. 

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Magic Cookie Bars

Feeling stressed out about the holidays? Sounds like you need a double dose of chocolate, and a whole lot of magic, STAT. This recipe delivers both in one concise cookie bar form.

These might look like a traditional, back-of-the-sweetened condensed milk-can magic cookie bars upon first glance. I mean, not that that would be a bad thing: the traditional, graham cracker-based version, is an enduring classic for good reason. But this specific version has a few surprises to offer. 

First, the base contains no graham cracker crumbs, but trust me, you won't miss 'em. In this recipe, the base is made from Among Friends Baking Mixes "CJ's Double Chocolate Cookie Mix". 

As you know, I am a big fan of using mixes to streamline my baking. As such, I was happy to have the opportunity to develop this recipe using one of my favorite baking mix brands: Among Friends Baking Mixes.

The nice thing about Among Friends is that as mixes go, I don't need to avert my eyes or feign ignorance when it comes to the ingredient list. It's all good stuff: whole grains, non-GMO ingredients...and everything is gluten-free, so this makes them appropriate for feeding a group (there's always someone who's gluten free!). But in spite of being gluten free, they're not jammed full of high glycemic fillers and gums, like tapioca starch and xanthan gum.

Anyway, long way of saying that the cookie mix imparts something incredible to these cookies. The chocolate, studded-with-chocolate-chunks dough is the perfect base for the magical melange of toppings that give their bars their name. The combination of sweetened condensed milk, coconut flakes, chocolate and butterscotch chips, and nuts comes together in sweet harmony with the rich base. Basically, what I want to tell you is that once you start eating these bar cookies, you will not want to stop. 

These are a perfect holiday cookie swap or party treat, and they can be made ahead and frozen if you want to streamline holiday baking. They're a keeper: make them now, make them often, and be happy. 

Double Chocolate Magic Cookie Bars 

Makes about 24 - printable version here

• 1 Package CJ's double chocolate cookie mix
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels or chunks
• 1/2 cup butterscotch morsels 
• 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut (see recipe note)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used a mix of toasted walnuts and pecans)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch pyrex type baking pan. 

In a large bowl, combine the CJ's Double Chocolate Cookie Mix, two eggs, and melted butter. Stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the greased baking pan. 

Pour the sweetened condensed milk on top of the cookie base. Scatter the chocolate morsels, butterscotch morsels, flaked coconut, and chopped nuts on top, aiming for even distribution. Use a fork or spatula to press down if needed. 

Bake for 25 minutes, or until evenly golden. I like to turn the pan halfway through baking (at about the 12 minute mark). 

Remove from the oven, and let the entire tray cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Slice and serve. 

Store leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days. These bars can also be frozen for up to 1 month. 

What's your favorite holiday treat?

Make Dish Washing Easier By Making Chocolate Milk

This is a public service announcement designed to save you time and gain you snacks.

In general I don't mind washing dishes. But I do mind washing a pan or the top of a double boiler after I've melted chocolate inside. It's messy, it takes forever to clean, and I lament the loss of that chocolate. 

But never again will I lament. Nor should you. Because this is an amazing solution that saves you much of the cleaning hassle, and gives you a tasty snack. 

Make chocolate milk. 

You heard me. Next time you have chocolate scum all over the bottom and sides of a pan or double boiler, simply do this:

1: Pour some milk (non dairy alternatives are fine) in the pan.

2: Heat it on low until the chocolate melts into the milk. Stir every now and again to keep it from sticking or scorching. Scrape the sides of the pan to get all that chocolate goodness melted into the milk.

3: Enjoy as hot chocolate, or put it in a jar and save it in the fridge for later as a rich, thick chocolate milk. 

Note: Do not share with your pug, even though he tells you he is STARVING. 

Enjoy the fact that your pan is now much cleaner, and much easier to clean. And enjoy your snack, too.

Cue the "the more you know" music!

Love, CakeSpy

Science: Meringues Made From Freaking Chickpea Water

Guess what I used to make these meringues? FREAKING CHICKPEA WATER. And sugar and vanilla. That's it.

I had heard that you could make magical things using chickpea water. I even featured such a recipe on this site, from a guest contributor.

So the other day, when making roasted garbanzo beans, I reserved the chickpea water to try something out for myself.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to make, so I put the water in the fridge and thought about it. A day passed and I forgot about it. On day two, I remembered and made a note on my to-do list: "EITHER FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE CHICKPEA WATER OR THROW IT OUT".

Now, I hate food waste, so that was motivation for me. I decided to find myself a recipe to utilize this freaking chickpea water.

This recipe looked simple and easy, and a good starting point, so I decided to give it a try.

I put the chickpea water (also known as "aquafaba" but I prefer "chickpea water") and some vanilla in a bowl, and started mixing.

I added some sugar in a slow, steady stream. I kept mixing.

I realized that i accidentally had put on the paddle attachment, not the whisk. Oops. I swtiched it, and kept on mixing.

I mixed this stuff for about 20 minutes, and at times, I thought nothing was going to happen. But then, after a bathroom break, vacuuming my house, and checking Facebook, it started to set. 

OMG - it freaking LOOKED like whipped egg whites, you guys! 

I tasted it. It tasted good. Normal. Not like a hummus byproduct. Honestly, sort of marshmallow-like.

I loaded the mixture into a bag and piped it on to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pretty!

And I baked 'em up.

Well, I think I shouldn't have piped so decoratively nor should I have placed the meringues so close together, because this happened.

But in spite of appearances, the recipe wasn't ruined; I just cut apart the ones that were stuck together and enjoyed their new, decidedly boob-like, shape. 

They looked like meringues. Boob-like meringues, but still. 

They taste like meringues, with a slightly different aftertaste. But not bean-y. Just different. Sort of marshmallow-y, but without the chewiness, like sugary air. 

These are very nice meringues, and naturally gluten-free and vegan. So they're great if you have vegan or gf eaters you want to please. 

But mostly, do this for the magic. You'll feel like Mr. Wizard!

Chickpea water meringues

Makes about 20 - printable version here

• Liquid strained from 1 can of chickpeas (15 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Pour the liquid and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (I was so dopey, I mixed it for a few minutes with the paddle before I realized my mistake and switched!). 

With the mixer running, slowly pour in the sugar in a steady stream.

Whisk for a nice long while. It took me about 20 minutes to attain peaks on the mixture; during that time I prepped a baking sheet with a silicone liner. It took a while, but when they did "set", I was totally confounded. This LOOKED and felt like whipped egg whites. 

Load it up into a bag and pipe it on to your lined baking sheet. Leave space around each one. 

Bake anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours, depending on the size and shape of your cookies. 

Have you ever baked with aquafaba (or as I call it, freaking chickpea water)?

Dense, Delicious Fudge Peppermint Brownies

We still have a while to go until Christmas. But, you know, today I felt like I needed a detour from all the candy corn and to enjoy a taste of something holly jolly. So hate me if you will for rushing the season, but these brownies are really just too good not to share. 

These are no ordinary brownies: they are chunks of chocolate-mint bliss. They start with an extraordinary brownie base, which has a few flavor secrets. For one, I used expensive chocolate: Perugina 70% Bittersweet chocolate is used in this recipe, which gives them a robust flavor from the get-go.

Second, there’s brown sugar is in the batter, which gives the brownies a rich, caramelly flavor boost. Next, there’s not a touch of butter in the recipe. Instead, these brownies rely on extra virgin OLIVE OIL for their soft, almost fudge-like texture. The olive oil also acts as the perfect complement to the mellow brown sugar and makes the chocolate taste extra-rich. 

Technically, these brownies would be quite tasty enough as-is, but they get even better with the addition of a creamy peppermint ganache, which employs white chocolate as the base, which is swirled with peppermint extract. And since I don't like to stop halfway, I added a drizzle of confectioners’ sugar glaze and some crushed candy canes for a treat that will undoubtedly overtake visions of sugarplums in many a holiday dream.  

So go ahead: take a break from candy for a moment and enjoy a grown-up dessert. 

Dense Fudge Peppermint Brownies

Prep time: 30 minutes  

Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus cooling  

Yield: 25 brownies  - Printable version here

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder  
• 10.5 ounces (3 bars) 70% Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped coarsely
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 5 large eggs, room temperature 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract  

Peppermint ganache

• 7 ounces (2 bars) good quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped  
• ¼ cup whipping cream  
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract 

To finish (optional)  

• ½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons milk or cream
• 1-2 drops red food coloring  
• 2-3 crushed candy canes to garnish  

Procedure 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and grease the top of the parchment paper, too. This will help ensure easy removal later. Set the pan to the side for the moment. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder. 

Configure a large sized double boiler. Place the chocolate and olive oil in the top of the double boiler, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and olive oil are completely melted and combined.  

Remove from heat, and add the granulated and brown sugar. Whisk until combined, and the sugar is completely mixed in. 

Add 3 of the eggs, and whisk until no streaks of egg remain. Add the remaining two eggs, once again mixing until no streaks remain. Stir in the vanilla.  

Sift the flour mixture into the wet mixture, and mix with a wooden spoon until the flour and cocoa mixture is incorporated. Stir the minimum amount you possibly can, as over-stirring can give brownies an undesirable texture. 

Pour the mixture into the pan (it will be rather full) and smooth the top with your spatula. Bake the brownies for 45-50 minutes, rotating at the 25 minute mark. If the edges seem to be browning too rapidly, tent the edges with foil. When you think the brownies are done, test with a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the center is still slightly jiggly, that is OK.  

Let the brownies cool in the pan, set on a wire rack, until they reach room temperature.  

Make the peppermint ganache. Place the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.  

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat until it reaches a simmer. Remove from heat, stir in the peppermint extract, and pour over the white chocolate. Stir until combined and smooth. Pour over the brownies in the pan.  

Place the brownies in the refrigerator until the topping has set. Once set, you can cut the brownies into five rows of five each way, making for a total of 25 brownies. 

Make the glaze: combine ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of heavy cream or milk and 1-2 drops of red food coloring. Drizzle over the tops of the brownies, and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.  

Note: if you like your brownies extra minty, you can substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla called for in the brownie portion of the recipe. 

What's your favorite holiday treat?

Can You Bake Frozen Cookie Dough in a Bundt Pan?

Look at these cookies! I have decided to call them "Unicorn Hooves", because, well, look at the shape. And the taste is magical, so it's warranted. 

How on earth does one end up with cookies shaped like unicorn hooves? Well, that's a funny story.

I know that you're just pretending to work, anyway, so why don't you listen to my story? 

To tell the story of these cookies, it's first important to know that I was assigned to write a scintillating article entitled "How to Grease a Bundt Pan" for Craftsy. It will be on their blog soon. You've got to stay tuned. 

Actually, I'm not joking about it being scintillating -- I learned a thing or two in writing the article. In order to write the best article I could, I of course took the time to grease a decorative cake pan to perfection, only to realize that I didn't have the time nor the energy (it was a big day) to make a cake. But I wasn't just going to let a perfectly greased cake pan go to waste! 

That's when I remembered the pre-portioned cookie dough nuggets in my fridge.

What, doesn't everyone keep ready-to-bake chocolate chip cookie dough in the freezer? My reasoning is this: you never know when you might need cookies. 

So...I found myself wondering: "What would happen if I just dumped these cookie dough pellets in the prepped pan and baked 'em up?"

So, I gave it a try. I put them all in the pan, about 24 portions (a typical batch of chocolate chip cookies). Usually I would bake the cookies at 375 for 8-12 minutes, but since the volume was going to be greater, I turned down the heat to 350. 

At about 10 minutes, the cookie dough unit was puffy and beautiful looking.

At about 15 minutes, when I took it out of the oven, it had deflated in the center, but it smelled awesome.

The best news? My greasing technique worked perfectly: the cookie dough, which would normally be a terror to remove from such a pan, came out smoothly and seamlessly. 

Equally great news? The bundt-cookie thing came out very nicely, in spite of the slight deflation. I sliced it into slivers, realized that they looked like unicorn hooves, and laughed at my own cleverness. Then I ate a cookie.

I actually like how baking the dough in a decorative pan changed its texture. It was a lot chewier in the center, which is a very good thing for me; I despise crispy-all-over cookies. 

So, let me review the main points I want you to take away from this post:

1. I am very, very clever.

2. Properly greasing a bundt pan is of great importance if you don't want half of what you bake to cling to the pan. 

3. If properly greased, you CAN bake cookie dough--even pellets of store bought cookie dough--in a bundt pan. 

4. Cookie dough may deflate while being baked in a bundt pan, but when sliced, you can call the cookies unicorn hooves, and all will be forgiven.

Have you ever used a bundt or decorative cake pan for something other than cake?

Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter Cookies

Three things happened recently, and the result was COOKIES. Let me tell you more.

The first thing that happened

Peanut Butter and Company came out with a new product called Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter, which is delicious. They hired me to make some recipes featuring the stuff, so I had a few extra jars on hand. 

The second thing that happened

I bought a vintage book at a library sale (Better Homes and Gardens Cookies and Candies, published 1966) and found this page of recipes inside, which delighted me to no end:

The third thing that happened

I was hired to write an article about quick ways to soften butter for Craftsy.com, and in experimenting, found myself with a lot of soft butter (favorite method pictured below: whacking butter with a rolling pin), and so I decided to bake one of the cookies I had found in the above-mentioned book. To make them sort of fall-friendly, I decided to riff on the recipe a bit and use the Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter I had left over from making  PSL peanut butter cupcakes.

I made a few changes to the recipe for the teen-approved "double peanut butter cookies" - instead of approaching it in a more pastry/pie crust way, I used the more traditional creaming method since the butter was already soft. I also left out the corn syrup and used a smaller amount of honey instead, and omitted the milk because the dough seemed to hold together fine without it. 

They are special cookies. You bite into them expecting a peanut butter cookie, and to a certain degree they deliver, but then you're like "wh-what? why does this taste all pumpkin spice-y?!" and then you just kind of yield to the experience and feel all like "let's get cozy and drink PSLs and read In Touch Weekly by the fire!". Or at least that was my response to them. 

I actually made two variations: the filled version as detailed in the original recipe, and some plain, standard looking peanut butter style cookies. If I had to choose one option for you to make, I would suggest the filled ones. When they're just-baked, they ooze, like so:

as they cool, the ooze factor is less amazing (more like this)

but no less tasty. 

I'm willing to bet these cookies would still win the hearts of teens. And adults. After all, I'm 35, so I've seen nearly two full teenagers' years worth of life. 

Go ahead, see for yourself how tasty these cookies can be. 

Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies, or about 16 of the filled variation - Printable version here

(note: since I divided the dough and did half and half, I am estimating what the yield would be if you did it all one way or the other. I ended up with 8 of the filled cookies and 13 of the regular cookies)

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter and Company Pumpkin Spice peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon honey 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Set to the side.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and honey. 

Add the dry mix, and beat on low to combine. Once fully combined, stop mixing; don't overdo it or the cookies will be tough.

Form the dough into balls about 1 inch around. Place on the sheet, and press down with the tines of a fork in a cross hatch pattern. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until toasty on the edges. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the sheet (they are delicate at first) for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

FILLED OPTION: 

OOOH, here's a cool option, and it's TEEN APPROVED! You'll need a little more peanut butter if you want to make filled cookies. 

To make the cookies in this way follow the same steps to prep the dough. But when you make balls of dough, make them smaller--about 3/4 inch each. Make sure you have an even number.

In your hands, flatten one of the balls, and spoon a small amount (no more than 1/2 teaspoon) on top, in the center. Flatten a second ball, and then stack it on top of the peanut butter atop the first portion of dough.

With your fingers, "close" the edges to form a seal; to make them cute, press the edges with the tines of a fork.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for the same time range as specified in the recipe, and follow the same cooling instructions. 

Have you ever tried pumpkin spice peanut butter?

Banana Bread With One Banana

One sad, overripe banana. Is it time to toss it? Nope. You can make banana bread with this baby.

This post started with a question that I had, which went like so: "what the heck can I do with one overripe banana?". I mean, overrripe bananas are a known Good Thing in baking; they are the stuff that makes Hummingbird cake, banana bread, basically anything banana and baked. But usually, these recipes employ 2-3 or even 4 bananas. What good is just one? 

But I didn't want to throw out this banana, which was rapidly progressing from brown to black, and so I set out to do some research. I found a pretty good-looking recipe for banana muffins employing just one banana, and I thought, well, why not just make banana bread instead of muffins? That way, I can, you know, just have one dish to clean, and not have to spoon the batter into individual cups (can you tell I was in a lazy mood?). 

Well, to my great joy, the recipe turned out great. In spite of the fact that it contains a mere one banana, this bread is rich in banana flavor, and tastes awesome. It's perfect with butter for breakfast, even better (in my opinion) with peanut butter as a snack. 

So if you find yourself with just one banana, make this easy bread. It is short and dense (I didn't add leavening!) but it's awesome in its simplicity. You'll love it. 

Banana bread with just one banana

Printable version here - INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup nuts (I used almonds), optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar. Remove from heat once melty, and let it sit for a few moments.

Then, add the mashed banana, egg, and milk. Stir to combine. Add the flour and salt, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts, if using. 

Pour the mixture into the prepped loaf pan, and place it on the middle rack in your oven. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating at 15 minutes or so, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled to warm, slice and serve.

Enjoy! Go Banana!

Thanks A Latte: Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I've really done it this time, you guys. PUMPKIN SPICE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES THAT LOOK LIKE LITTLE LATTES.

Thanks a latte! That’s the response you’ll get when you unveil these pretty-as-a-picture cupcakes to your family and friends. But they’re not just good looking: I made them with Peanut Butter and Co.’s seasonal Pumpkin Spice peanut butter, so they have a truly unique flavor. I then topped the spicy-sweet cupcakes with a decadent cream cheese frosting which adds a pleasing tang to the earthy cake flavor.

Topped with an optional drizzle of caramel and outfitted with mini straws so that they look like a coffee shop beverage, these cupcakes reach stratospheric levels of both adorableness and deliciousness.

READ MORE HERE

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

I have so many things to tell you. Maybe you're too cool for school and you won't be excited about them, but I am more than excited enough to be sharing.

First: I figured out a new way to turbo-ripen bananas for baking. It goes like this: preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Put the bananas (in the peels) right on the oven rack. Heat until they turn really brown. Remove, unpeel (careful, they are hot!) and mash 'em up. They work great for baking. 

Second: chocolate greek yogurt is a thing, and it's actually good.

I'm typically wary of yogurt (it's not ice cream!), especially when it has flavorings added. But Greek Gods sent me some chocolate greek yogurt for baking purposes, and I have to tell you, it's actually really tasty.

So that is a victory. A chocolate yogurt that actually tastes good! It's still not ice cream, of course, but it is very good.

Now, let's bring together these things in one delicious form while I share with you my latest oeuvre: Chocolate Greek Yogurt Banana Bread.

In spite of coming off as vaguely healthy, that is not my intent. My intent was to make something tasty, and I believe I have met my goal here.

Not too sweet, this is an ideal breakfast bread. It feels enough like a treat that you feel rewarded for waking up, but not so sweet that it gives you a sugar crash. I think it tastes great with butter and toasted nuts on top, but I urge you to choose your own adventure when it comes to how to eat it.

It's a nice, moist bread, so it's not too dry, owing to the yogurt and banana.

Overall, I am going to call this one a victory, as a recipe, and as an experience wherein I discovered things about myself (I can eat some flavored yogurt without wanting to die) and about bananas. 

If you'd like to join my life experience, here's the recipe.

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Banana Bread 

Recipe developed for Greek Gods - printable version here

• 2 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Greek Gods Chocolate Mocha Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, or chocolate chips, or whatever add-ins you want 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (unless you're turbo-ripening the bananas, in which case set it a little lower, like 250 to 300, then set to 350 once they're done). Generously grease a loaf pan (9x5 inches or so). 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Give it a stir to combine, then set to the side.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or another big bowl if you feel like doing it by hand) really mash the bananas. I beat them with the paddle attachment until they were like a puree. 

Add the Greek yogurt, maple syrup and eggs. Mix until everything is creamy and smooth. 

Add the flour mixture, and mix ONLY until moistened (a few little lumps and bumps are OK). Fold in the nuts, if using. Pour/spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan. It won't come all the way up, but that is a good thing. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating at the 20 minute mark or so. The loaf should look set, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean. 

Remove from the oven and transfer the loaf pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely. I serve this loaf right from the pan. 

What's your favorite type of breakfast bread?

Olive Oil Boston Cream Doughnuts Are The Best

A momentous National Holiday is rapidly approaching. October 23 marks National Boston Cream Pie Day. This brings up a big question: why is it called a pie when it's actually a cake? Well, I do address that in my book, The Secret Lives of Baked Goods, so go ahead and buy that to find out more (yup, I'm a jerk!). But today I want to offer a way to celebrate that is neither cake nor pie: yes indeed, my personal favorite varietal of the Boston Cream family is in doughnut form. 

Boston cream doughnuts are the best. Light yeast pastry, filled with custard, and topped with chocolate. Seriously, what could be finer? 

Well, as I discovered, they're extra-special when you make them with olive oil. 

These doughnuts are fried in olive oil for a crisp, flavorful finish, then filled with a homemade custard and topped with what might just be the dessert sauce of the gods, a ganache made from dark chocolate and olive oil. The olive oil and high quality chocolate gives these doughnuts a flavor that is unlike anything you’ve ever purchased at a commercial doughnut shop! 

So go ahead, celebrate in style this year with some extra fancy DIY doughnuts. 

Olive Oil Boston Cream Doughnuts  

Makes 18-24 (2.5-inch) doughnuts  - Printable version here

Active Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes  / Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes, plus cooling times  

For the doughnuts 

• 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for work surface 
• 1 packet active dry yeast 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) whole milk 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 

For frying: enough olive oil to fill a deep skillet 2 inches deep  

For the cream filling 

• ½ tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1/4 cup sugar  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch  
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla  

For the topping 

• 5 ounces coarsely chopped dark chocolate 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil   

First, make the filling, as it will need to chill for a while before you can pipe it into the doughnuts.  

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, milk, and cream. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, eggs, and vanilla, beating until the mixture is light yellow and form ribbons when you lift the whisk, about five minutes by hand. 

Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking until completely combined. 

Pour the mixture into a medium-sized saucepan (it can be the same one you started with, washed out) and placeover medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling, until the mixture begins bubbling; continue whisking until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a pudding. This process can take up to 15 minutes. If any bits of egg have cooked, forming lumps, strain the mixture through a mesh sieve before proceeding to the next step. 

Transfer the cream filling to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard, to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until completely chilled. It’s fine to make the custard a day ahead. 

Now, it’s time to make the doughnuts. Place the flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside. 

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and olive oil until the mixture reaches about 105°F. Remove from heat and whisk in the eggs. 

Add the wet mixture to the dry, and using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue mixing until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, five to seven minutes. It will still be somewhat sticky.  

Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size. 

Near the end of the rising period, prepare your work area. Dust a work surface with flour, and place the dough on top. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2- or 3-inch round cutter (or even a floured drinking glass rim, or the top of a wide mouth mason jar top, as I did), cut out as many circles as you can and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles until you've used all the dough. Cover the rounds with plastic wrap and again let them rise, this time for about 30 minutes. 

Place paper towels under a wire rack. Have it near your frying surface. This is where you'll put the doughnuts to cool off. 

It's time to get frying. Heat your oil in a large deep skillet or deep pan until it has reached 350°F. 7. Transfer the rounds a couple at a time (you don't want them crowded) and fry until browned—about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip, and remember the second side takes less time to fry. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the wire rack. Continue frying until you've finished them all. 

By the time you're done frying, the first of the fried doughnuts should be cool enough to handle. Using a chopstick or small knife, make a hole and slightly "shimmy" it without enlarging the hole too much, to make more space in the doughnut for the filling. 

Load up a piping bag with your pastry cream, and pipe as much as will possibly fit in each doughnut. (You can also spoon it in if you prefer, slicing the doughnut in half and putting a layer of frosting inside, then sandwiching it. Pipe the sides to make it look pretty.) Once filled, place the doughnuts back on the wire rack.  

Finally, make the topping. In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the olive oil until the mixture is silky and smooth. 

Spoon some of the chocolate mixture on top of each doughnut, and gently spread with the back of the spoon. The topping will still be sticky, but the doughnuts are ready to be consumed now. 

These doughnuts taste best the same day made. The cream filling can be made a day ahead. 

Have you ever made homemade filled doughnuts?

This is Happening: Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie

Well, hello. 

Dark chocolate and olive oil come together to form one of the most memorable and crave-worthy pies you’ve ever tried! 

It is a fact: the world is currently experiencing a salted caramel boom, and it’s unlikely it will ever end. Why would you ever want it to, though? I mean, salted caramel is an inherently perfect food, combining equal parts sweet and salty for a completely crave-worthy flavor experience. But it really, really, really shines in this pie, which is made with a unique olive oil-salted caramel filling which is nutty, rich, and totally delicious. The texture is simply perfect:  firm enough to hold its form for clean slices, but gooey enough to give a pleasant little caramelly ooze once served on a plate.  

But wait, there's more! That luscious caramel filling is then topped with a rich, flavorful olive oil ganache made with chopped and melted dark chocolate, and then topped with coarse sea salt. All served atop a crunchy cookie crust, this pie is a study in delicious contrast, and perfect for chocolate and caramel lovers.  

It's bound to become part of your frequent baking rotation!

Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie - printable version here

• Active time: 45 minutes  
• Total time: 4 hours, 45 minutes, plus chilling  
• Makes one 9-inch pie 

For the crust

• 1 ½ cups finely crumbled cookies (graham crackers or shortbread cookies work well) 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan 
• ¼ teaspoon salt  

For the filling  

• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 
• ¼ cup olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
• 2 teaspoons kosher sea salt 
• ¼ cup brown sugar 

For the topping

• 5 ounces coarsely chopped dark chocolate (51% cacao was used in this recipe) 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top 

Necessary supplies

• A 9-inch pie plate 
• A 9-inch square or 9×13-inch rectangle baking pan 
• A roasting pan, or a vessel large enough to hold the above baking pan with clearance on all sides 

How to do it: 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease the pie plate on the bottom and sides with olive oil. 

In a large bowl, mix the cookie crumbs, olive oil, and salt until it is a cohesive, evenly moistened mixture. Gently press the mixture into the greased pie plate, making sure to press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.  

Place the pie plate in the preheated oven, and bake for 10 minutes, or until there is a slight matte look to the crust and it is fragrant and toasty-smelling. Remove from the oven and set to the side to cool completely. 

Increase the oven heat to 425°F. Now, grab either a 9×9 or 9×13-inch baking plate. Have nearby your roasting pan or slightly larger pan, in which the smaller pan can comfortably fit with clearance on all sides. 

Pour the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt into the baking pan. Give it a light mix to combine everything–it won’t come together in a smooth, creamy and cohesive mixture, but that is OK for now. Just give it a few stirs for even distribution, then add the brown sugar and give it another stir. Once again, combining everything into a smooth mixture isn’t hugely important right now. 

Place the pan with the sweetened condensed milk inside of the larger vessel, and slowly pour water in the larger vessel until it reaches about halfway up the smaller baking pan. Pour along the side so that none of the water gets into the sweetened condensed milk mixture (although it is not going to ruin the recipe if a little splash of water gets into the mixture). It’s better to do this with the smaller pan already in the larger pan, because you don’t have to worry about sloshing due to water displacement. 

Place a sheet of foil on the top of the baking pan with the condensed milk mixture. Leave it loosely wrapped as you will need to access the mixture throughout the baking process. 

Very gently place the entire bulking mass into your preheated oven, taking care not to let the water spill. 

The mixture will bake for two hours total, but you will require some mixing during the process. At 40 minutes, remove the mixture from the oven, lift the foil, and give the mixture a stir (you’ll see it starts to look more “mixed” at this point, although it may be somewhat bumpy or separated). Check the water level and replenish if needed. Place the pans back in the oven. 

40 minutes later (this is 80 minutes into the baking process now), repeat the previous step. Place the pans back in the oven. 

Once your 120 minutes have passed, turn the oven heat off, but leave the mixture in the oven for about 20 more minutes. Remove from the oven, and gently remove the pan of condensed milk. Place it on a heatproof surface, and gently stir the mixture. It may still have some bumps and lumps but it will mostly dissipate as you mix. Once mostly smooth (a little bit of texture is fine), pour into the prepared pie shell. Let the mixture set completely at room temperature (this can take up to 2 hours) before completing the next step. 

Once the caramel has set (you can test it by tilting the pan; the mixture should stay put), make your olive oil ganache topping. In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the olive oil until the mixture is silky and smooth. 

Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel layer. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired. 

Refrigerate the pie for several hours, or until ready to serve. While the pie is eatable right away, it will be sticky and a little messy when cut. Refrigerating will ensure that everything “sets”, giving the pie an easier texture for cutting and serving. 

What's your favorite way to enjoy salted caramel?