Valentine's Day is the day I became engaged to my husband, which makes it one of my favorite days of the year. I would love to say that every year we go all out and celebrate like crazy, and although we have done that a lot of years, most of the time life gets in the way and it becomes just another busy day.
So this year, as part of my plan to make Valentine's Day extra special, I thought it was time to make these Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies. These cookies taste amazing! The caramel flows from the chocolate heart, and mixes with the chocolate cookie for an awesome, creamy chocolatey taste that you will love, and won't be able to forget. Plus, they make a great gift for your special someone!
Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies
(printable recipe at end of post) 6 ounces Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate 3/4 cup Butter 1 cup Sugar 2 Eggs 1 3/4 cup Flour 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder Caramel Baking Chips (3 per cookie) Creamy Caramel Chocolate Hearts
Microwave the chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 min, or until butter is completely melted. Stir butter and chocolate together until chocolate is completely melted.
Stir in sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until completely blended.
Combine the flour and baking powder together, and add it to the bowl. Mix well. The dough will be very soft. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Use a 1 ounce scoop to make balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Add 3 caramel chips to each ball of dough.
Reroll the dough to incorporate the chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, remove the appropriate number of caramel candies from their foil.
Place a caramel heart on each cookie immediately upon removing them from the oven. Enjoy warm, or place in a tin for gift giving!
Thank you for joining me today,
Happy Valentines Day!
Author: The Freshman Cook
Double Caramel Chocolate Cookies
ingredients:
6 ounces Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate
3/4 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 3/4 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
Caramel Baking Chips (3 per cookie)
Creamy Caramel Chocolate Hearts
instructions:
Microwave the chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 min, or until butter is completely melted. Stir butter and chocolate together until chocolate is completely melted.
Stir in sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until completely blended.
Combine the flour and baking powder together, and add it to the bowl. Mix well. The dough will be very soft. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Use a 1 ounce scoop to make balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Add 3 caramel chips to each ball of dough.
Reroll the dough to incorporate the chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, remove the appropriate number of caramel candies from their foil.
Place a caramel heart on each cookie immediately upon removing them from the oven. Enjoy warm, or place in a tin for gift giving!
With the feel of fall in the air, it's hard to not want to continue that feeling when we are cooking and entertaining. After all, the season is full of huge flavors, like crisp fresh apples, hearty soups, candied pecans, homemade cider, pumpkin cheesecake dip, and the list goes on and on!
Today, as part of #PumpkinWeek, I am sharing my Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip. This dip comes together quickly, with some time spent chilling in the fridge, and tastes best made the day before.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
(printable recipe at end of page)
(feeds 4)
8 ounce Cream Cheese (softened)
8 ounces Pumpkin
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Cinnamon Graham Crackers
Oreo Cookie Sticks
Ginger Snaps
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and pumpkin. Add the powdered sugar and mix it in. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix in to the batter.
Add vanilla and mix together.
Spoon dip into a serving bowl. Grate the chocolate over the top.
Serve with cinnamon graham crackers, Oreo sticks, and ginger snaps. Enjoy!
Thank you for joining me today! Find a printable recipe at the end of the page. Scroll down and find more tasty and fun recipes from the #PumpkinWeek bloggers:
Pumpkin season is here, and we are celebrating our love of pumpkin with #PumpkinWeek hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures. All week-long 26 bloggers will be sharing over 80 pumpkin-filled recipes for all your Autumn celebrations, including breakfasts, baked goods, savory pumpkin recipes, desserts, and drinks.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and pumpkin. Add the powdered sugar and mix it in. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix in to the batter.
Add vanilla and mix together.
Spoon dip into a serving bowl. Grate the chocolate over the top.
Serve with cinnamon graham crackers, Oreo sticks, and ginger snaps.
Today is the last day of #BerryWeek! It has been such fun with so many berry recipes to share. My list of ones I want to try has gotten longer with each day! If you missed any of them, you might want to check out the recipe I shared Monday, Summer Berry Salsa. This recipe is a great way to enjoy several berries at a time, in one recipe! If you are a fan of easy to make pastry, you will want to bake up some of my Blueberry Breakfast Pastries, which I shared on Wednesday. The pastry cream is homemade and the pastry is store bought dough, cutting down on the time it takes to put it all together, but not the taste.
With the fun and tasty #BerryWeek coming to an end, I want to share my Summer Berry Charcuterie Board with you. If you have ever made a charcuterie board, you know how much fun it is to put them together. It takes thought and creativity to design the perfect board, and it also takes time to collect the items you need for the board, but it is all worth it. In the end, the board looks like an art project, too pretty to eat, but that won't last long! The main objective is to have fun and create something your family and friends will enjoy!
Start by placing fruit on your tray. You want it to look visibly appealing to the eye. When it is fruit you are dealing with, it seems like all the colors go together quite well. Stack your fruit up a bit, as if they are in piles. By stacking them you are creating height, making them visually appealing. You are basically creating a pretty picture that your guests can not resist!
Add different textures to your canvas. The nuts are perfect because they are such an opposite to the softness of the fruit. Your guests will love both textures. The chocolate brittle adds double chocolate flavor, which most guests love! Let's face it. It is difficult to walk past chocolate and not want to grab a bite! The chocolate brittle also adds a hard texture against the fruit.
Red and blue go so well together that I had to put them side by side. The blueberries are soft and juicy and the fresh strawberries with their green stems just create it's own little picture. I used the chocolate cookies as a border to contrast the softness of the fruit.
These rolled wafers are a great addition to the board because they create height. They direct our gaze to move up from the plate, resulting in your guests taking in the entire picture.
Every board needs a dip or two. Because this board is on the small side, I thought one would be enough. This dip is super easy to make with only three ready made ingredients. Soften the cream cheese, mix in the frozen dessert topping and add the vanilla! Refrigerate before serving!
This is one way to put together a charcuterie tray. It can be difficult to take the first step in designing your tray. Once you decide on a theme or a certain item you are serving, it will fall into place. I will admit, I spent a lot of time walking around a couple stores trying to buy the items for this board, but after I did, the ideas came rushing into my mind, making a clear path for my end result. This will happen to you also. Besides, there is no wrong way to create a Summer Berry Charcuterie Board. If you are happy with it, then it is right. Have fun with it!
Check out these Summer Berry Recipes from some blogging friends:
Start by placing fruit on your tray. You want it to look visibly appealing to the eye. When it is fruit you are dealing with, it seems like all the colors go together quite well. Stack your fruit up a bit, as if they are in piles. By stacking them you are creating height, making them visually appealing. You are basically creating a pretty picture that your guests can not resist!
Add different textures to your canvas. The nuts are perfect because they are such an opposite to the softness of the fruit. Your guests will love both textures. The chocolate brittle adds double chocolate flavor, which most guests love! Let's face it. It is difficult to walk past chocolate and not want to grab a bite! The chocolate brittle also adds a hard texture against the fruit.
Red and blue go so well together that I had to put them side by side. The blueberries are soft and juicy and the fresh strawberries with their green stems just create it's own little picture. I used the chocolate cookies as a border to contrast the softness of the fruit.
These rolled wafers are a great addition to the board because they create height. They direct our gaze to move up from the plate, resulting in your guests taking in the entire picture.
Every board needs a dip or two. Because this board is on the small side, I thought one would be enough. This dip is super easy to make with only three ready made ingredients. Soften the cream cheese, mix in the frozen dessert topping and add the vanilla! Refrigerate before serving!
I have another #Choctoberfest2019 for you today! My Tombstone Bark is so easy to make, and it is perfect for your children to help with! I thought of making these Tombstones one day when I was driving down a country road here in North Carolina. There are many areas where the family cemetery was, and still is, a very common sight. They are often located on the family farm, sometimes near the road, and although most of them are very well tended, some are often neglected and have broken tombstones. And at night, they can be very scary looking! Which made me think of Halloween and treats and after a few streams of thought, I came around to these Tombstones!
Tombstone Bark (makes 6 tombstones) (printable recipe at end of page)
Tombstone Mold approx 2 pounds Milk Chocolate Royal Icing (I have included my recipe below) 3 oz. Warm Water 2 1/2 tablespoons Meringue Powder 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar 1.12 lbs Powdered Sugar Black Decorating Color Autumn Leaves Mix- edible decor Skeleton Bones-edible decor
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until completely melted and creamy.
Pour the chocolate into the tombstone molds.
Pick up the molds just above the table and lightly drop them several times. This will even out the chocolate in the mold, and eliminate bubbles. Set in refrigerator until set up. It takes at least 30 minutes.
Make the royal icing by mixing together the warm water and the meringue powder. Use a whisk to mix until it is frothy and thick...about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds. Pour in all the confectioners sugar in to the bowl and mix on low for a full 10 minutes. Pour into a containers with a good lid to keep it fresh. It will store for approx. 30 days.
Take 3-4 tablespoons of the icing and place in a small bowl. Add a little bit of black food color into the bowl, and mix until it is a light gray. If you make it too dark, add some more frosting to lighten it up. Add a teaspoon of water to thin it.
Use a small paint brush and spread the grey icing around the tombstone to give it an old, worn look. Let dry.
Once the front is dry, turn it over and pipe a medium size dot of frosting onto the back bottom of the tombstone.
Add one of the bones to the frosting and adjust it so that it will stand up. Let dry.
I cut a few of the tombstones to make them look like they are eroded, and I added a few bones to come up from the ground, and some leaves for effect! Happy Haunted Halloween!
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until completely melted and creamy.
Pour the chocolate into the tombstone molds.
Pick up the molds just above the table and lightly drop them several times. This will even out the chocolate in the mold, and eliminate bubbles. Set in refrigerator until set up. It takes at least 30 minutes.
Make the royal icing by mixing together the warm water and the meringue powder. Use a whisk to mix until it is frothy and thick...about 30 seconds.
Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds.
Pour in all the confectioners sugar in to the bowl and mix on low for a full 10 minutes. Pour into a containers with a good lid to keep it fresh. It will store for approx. 30 days.
Take 3-4 tablespoons of the icing and place in a small bowl. Add a little bit of black food color into the bowl, and mix until it is a light gray. If you make it too dark, add some more frosting to lighten it up. Add a teaspoon of water to thin it.
Use a small paint brush and spread the grey icing around the tombstone to give it an old, worn look. Let dry.
Once the front is dry, turn it over and pipe a medium size dot of frosting onto the back bottom of the tombstone.
Add one of the bones to the frosting and adjust it so that it will stand up. Let dry.
I cut a few of the tombstones to make them look like they are eroded, and I added a few bones to come up from the ground, and some leaves for effect!
#Choctoberfest is an annual recipe-sharing event. I'm joining other food bloggers from around the world to create delicious chocolate recipes. This year, over 70 bloggers are joining together for a week full of chocolate cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, tarts, candies, and more. You can follow along by searching for the hashtag #Choctoberfest on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. Or, simply follow any of the participating bloggers listed below.
We also have some awesome sponsors, who make #Choctoberfest possible every year. Our sponsors have banded together to put together a delicious prize pack worth over $400! Here's what you get if you win! (Scroll down to enter.)
Candy Gift Pack from blog host Triple Chocolate Kitchen, which includes 180-pack of Lindt LINDOR Chocolate Truffles (dark, milk, and white). Triple Chocolate Kitchen organizes #Choctoberfest, as well as posting chocolate recipes throughout the year.
Chocolate and Cocoa Gift Pack from Divine Chocolate, which includes a variety of high-quality fair trade chocolate bars, cocoa powder, and Divine Chocolate swag. Divine Chocolate's baking line consists of three premium quality flavors ranging from 55% to 100% cocoa for a wide variety of delicious desserts. Their chocolate products are made with 100% cocoa butter and are non-GMO and Vegan Society Certified.
$100 Nordic Ware Gift Card and 40 Pounds of Granulated Sugar from Imperial Sugar. They are currently hosting their annual Scary Scramble, featuring delicious fall-inspired recipes using Imperial Sugar's high-quality sweeteners. Imperial Sugar has been a kitchen staple for over 175 years!
Collagen Fuel™ Drink Mix Gift Pack from Primal Kitchen. The ingredients in these drink mixes help support hair, skin, and nails. Their chocolate version has organic, fair-trade cocoa and coconut milk powders, with no wheat, soy, or dairy ingredients.
Cracker Gift Pack from Mary's Gone Crackers. The lucky winner will get to try a variety of crackers, many of which pair well with chocolate (check their recipe page for ideas!). Mary's products are vegan, cruelty-free, and organic.
Alkaline Water Pack from Perfect Hydration. Wash down all those delicious chocolate desserts with Perfect Hydration water. This 9.5+ pH alkaline water helps to effectively restore and rebalance the body to optimum pH levels. This water goes through a 9-stage filtration process, has no added sodium, chlorine, or fluoride, and is packaged in recyclable BPA-free bottles.
Kitchen Conversions Chart and Etsy Gift Card from Moonflower Mountain. Winner chooses the colors for this flower-adorned conversion chart, which makes it easy to double any recipe or convert from cups to tablespoons.
Don't forget to enter to win! Ok, let's get started with Choctoberfest2019!!!
These Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls are the perfect treat to add to your gift giving boxes and tins this holiday season! They are easy to make, and they can be frozen, so if you are interested in making things ahead of time, you will want these in your gift baskets! I used a vegan peanut butter, a vegan powdered sugar, and a bittersweet baking chocolate from the sponsor of todays post, Divine Chocolate! #MakeSomethingDivine This bar is seriously good! It is made with all natural ingredients, no artificial flavors, and 100% pure cocoa butter. Find out more about them at @DivineChocolateUSA on Facebook and Instagram and @DivineChocUSA on Twitter! Also check out the Divine Chocolate web site for recipe, stories, and business info!
Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Balls (makes 1 dozen ) (printable recipe at end of page)
1 cup Vegan Peanut Butter 1 cup Sugar 1 5.3 ounce Divine Bittersweet 70% Cocoa Bar
Take 1 cup of granulated sugar and place it in a blender. I used a brand that is vegan. Beat the sugar for at least 2 minutes. Stop and check for grittiness. You are making powdered sugar from the granulated sugar, so there is no gritty feeling aloud. Beat again for at least another minute, then check again. Mine took approx. 3 minutes. It will look just like above.
Stir in the 3/4 cup of powdered sugar with the 1 cup of Vegan Peanut Butter.
It should look like this when you are done. Cover and refrigerate. You can even freeze it if you want quicker results.The peanut butter being cold is your friend in this recipe. It really helps with handling the peanut butter.
Chop the Divine Bittersweet Baking Chocolate into small pieces so it will melt quicker and evenly. Heat on low heat to melt.
Once melted, add 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar and mix, then taste. I added 2 tablespoons for this recipe, but you might like it differently. Mix sugar and chocolate together.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, make the peanut butter and powdered sugar into a ball. Place on wax paper and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Dip peanut butter balls into melted chocolate and powdered sugar mix. Place on tray with wax paper and freeze.
Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy! This is the first vegan recipe I have every made, so if I have made an error in the vegan area, please kindly let me know.
Here are some interesting facts about Divine Chocolate that you will want to know: I used the bittersweet chocolate to cover my Peanut Butter Balls, but Divine Chocolate's baking line consists of three premium quality
flavors ranging from 55% to 100% cocoa for a wide variety of delicious
desserts. Check them out by clicking the link above. Also, as a baker, I love that because Divine Chocolate is made with with 100% pure cocoa butter it has an amazing melting point! It melts beautifully and evenly and it is a pleasure to work with! I encourage you to use their products. You will love them! Scroll down for a printable recipe, and don't forget to join the giveaway fun! Good luck!
Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Balls
Yield: 1 dozen
Author: The Freshman Cook
ingredients:
1 cup Vegan Peanut Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 5.3 ounce Divine Bittersweet 70% Cocoa Bar
instructions:
How to cook Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Balls
Take 1 cup of granulated sugar and place it in a blender. I used a brand that is vegan. Beat the sugar for at least 2 minutes. Stop and check for grittiness. You are making powdered sugar from the granulated sugar, so there is no gritty feeling aloud. Beat again for at least another minute, then check again. Mine took approx. 3 minutes. It will look just like above.
Stir in the 3/4 cup of powdered sugar with the 1 cup of Vegan Peanut Butter.
It should look like this when you are done. Cover and refrigerate. You can even freeze it if you want quicker results.The peanut butter being cold is your friend in this recipe. It really helps with handling the peanut butter.
Chop the Divine Bittersweet Baking Chocolate into small pieces so it will melt quicker and evenly. Heat on low heat to melt.
Once melted, add 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar and mix, then taste. I added 2 tablespoons for this recipe, but you might like it differently. Mix sugar and chocolate together.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, make the peanut butter and powdered sugar into a ball. Place on wax paper and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Dip peanut butter balls into melted chocolate and powdered sugar mix. Place on tray with wax paper and freeze.
Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar before serving.
