Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Have a fabulous day! 

Decadent Spiced Bourbon Hot Chocolate

Tis' the season to be jolly...I don't know about you but with Christmas just a few days away I am feeling a little stressed. I cannot wait until until I have the last of my tasks finished and I can sit down and relax with a drink and a book and wait for Christmas. 

Cup vintage, similar here, similar napkins here).

With the winter chill roaring across the country hot chocolate is going to be my drink of choice for the coming week. I decided to combine a few of mine and my husbands favorite ingredients to make a decadent, spiced and spiked hot chocolate. Cinnamon and chocolate are a perfect combination, add a shot of two of bourbon and I think you have a drink that everyone can enjoy. Obviously if you are serving kids leave out the bourbon. 

Cup vintage, similar here, napkins old, similar here

Decadent Spiced Bourbon Hot Chocolate 

11/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons powdered sugar or to taste

8 oz. 72% chocolate chopped

2 ounces of Bourbon whiskey

Garnish with whipped cream

In a saucepan over medium heat add the cream, milk, cinnamon and powdered sugar, whisk to combine. When bubbles form around the edges turn the heat to low and whisk in the chopped chocolate until melted and incorporated. Add the bourbon and mix to combine. Pour into cups and garnish with whipped cream.

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Magic Bars or Hello Dolly Bars or 7 Layer Bars

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Bar cookies are a favorite of mine because you basically put everything in the pan, bake it and you are finished. This particular bar is known by several names, 7 layer bars, Hello Dolly Bars or even Magic bars. They also happen to be the most Pinned recipe on Pinterest from this blog even after all these years!

I make these Magic Bars or to some Hello Dolly Bars or even 7 Layer bars,all the time! They are my sisters favorite so every time I see her I make a huge batch for her. They are the perfect treat warm with ice cream or completely cooled and served at a Christmas party or in cookie trays. Frankly you could give and entire try of these and I think your recipients would love it!

The recipe I use is adapted from Eagle Brand Milk I am sure there are many others but this is the one I always use. 

Magic Bars

1/2 cup melted butter

11/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs

1 can Borden Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk 

2 cups Ghirardelli Chocolate Baking Chips, Bittersweet Chocolate

1 cup of butter scotch chips

11/2 cups of coconut

Heat oven to 350. Melt butter and pour into a 9x13 pan. Mix in graham cracker crumbs. Pour condensed milk over the crumbs and then layer the remaining ingredients evenly. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and cut!

Variations: You can add walnuts, or a combination of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips, or perhaps a medley of chocolate chips, including white, milk and dark, or perhaps dried cherries or cranberries and white or dark chocolate.

I personally like them the way I made them but I am certainly open to trying new things.

I hope you enjoy your day! If you make these bars and have a great variation, please leave it in the comment section, I would love to try it.

Happy Holidays!

The Best Chocolate Cheesecake

The holidays are a great time to try new things or to bring out your favorite recipes. I have been making this chocolate cheesecake for years and the reason is because it is the best recipe I have found. This cheesecake is rich and decadent and the perfect dessert to serve at the holidays! 

The Best Chocolate Cheesecake

Recipe from Kraft

18 Oreo cookies finely ground

2 tbsp. butter, melted

3 packages, 8oz. each. Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz semis-sweet chocolate. melted and cooled

3 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325. Place a 9 x 13 inch baking pan filled with water on the lower shelf. In a small bowl melt butter, then add the cookie crumbs and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes then remove from oven to cool. 

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Then add chocolate and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, mix on low until just blended. Then pour over the crust. 

Place pan on the shelf above the pan of water. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the center is almost done. Then turn off oven and open the door an inch. Let cheesecake cool for 1 house and then remove from oven and run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake. Cool completely before removing the rim. Refrigerate for 4 hours or over night. 

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Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting

I don't know about you but I have my "go to" cake recipe and my "go to frosting" and I LOVE them both but sometimes I feel like trying something new. So when I discovered this Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting I couldn't wait to try it. 

This recipe is delicious, it is rich, creamy and tastes just like melted fudge. 

Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Recipe from Go go go Gourmet

12 tablespoons of butter

4.5 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped

11/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

11/2 teaspoons vanilla

11/2 lbs. powdered sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

In a microwave safe bowl microwave chocolates and butter together in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 increment until the mixture is melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla.

Add powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment. Then slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the powdered sugar while the mixture is running. 

Add the milk a little at a time, add only as much as it needed to obtain a smooth and spreadable frosting. 

Enjoy!

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