Chocolate ♥

I love chocolate. With caramel, peanut butter, fruit... or more chocolate, it's the perfect addition to any sweet. The more chocolate, the better! For my fellow chocolate lovers, here are a few amazing recipes you simply must try...

Nestle Toll House Chewy Cocoa Brownies and Chocolate Lover's Frosting
(from verybestbaking.com)

So this first recipe is one I found a few years ago on the back of a box of cocoa. And since there was also a recipe for chocolate frosting after the brownie recipe, I decided to go ahead and make that too... more chocolate couldn't hurt. I thought they would be alright, but I was surprised at how amazing they really turned out to be. These brownies are dense, fudgy, and oh so chocolaty. You'll want to cut these small, though... (1) because they are very rich and (2) you won't feel quite so bad when you go back for more (and more, and...)

Brownies

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted

2 tablespoons water

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Baking Cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Combine granulated sugar, butter and water in large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars.

Frosting

Ingredients

3 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided

2/3 cup Baking Cocoa

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

5 to 6 tablespoons milk, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Beat 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, butter, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in remaining sugar and milk until smooth. Makes 2 cups total.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream (joythebaker.com)

For Mother's Day a few years ago, we got my mom an ice cream maker. It has been such a fun appliance to experiment with, and yesterday, I tried this recipe for one of my favorite flavors - chocolate peanut butter ice cream. It is so good! If you don't have an ice cream maker, Brown Eyed Baker has some instructions for how to make yummy ice cream without one.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

pinch of salt

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup smooth salted peanut butter ( I like the all natural peanut butter)

Directions

In a sauce pan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups whole milk, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Heat until the milk start to steam, but before it starts to boil.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of whole milk and the cornstarch. Stir until no lumps remain.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and chocolate mixture and bring to a low boil. Boil until thickened. The mixture will look the consistency of chocolate pudding. Remove from flame.

In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir the cream and chocolate mixture until incorporated.

Stir the cream and chocolate mixture into the cooling chocolate ice cream base. Place in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap or a lid, and put in the fridge until cool.

Once cool, follow the manufacturers instructions on the ice cream maker to churn ice cream. Once the mixture has chilled and thickened in the ice cream maker, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Don’t over mix. You want a nice ribbon of peanut butter running through the ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe container and fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Cover and freeze until solid.

What is your favorite chocolate treat?