Nigella Lawson Guiness Stout Cake

Happy St.Patick's Day! I have been making all sorts of things this week with Guinness Stout, odd really because I do not drink beer.

In addition to these Chocolate Stout Brownies I made Nigella Lawson's Stout Cake.

It is delicious! I have to say though that I disagree with Nigela, I like to have lots of frosting, so instead of one tall cake I made layers and made my favorite Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting and in the middle I used a little leftover cream cheese frosting that I had.

You can find the recipe HERE.

Have a happy day!

Chocolate Guinness Stout Brownies

This week is St. Patrick's day and there are a lot of great recipes out there to celebrate with. One of my absolute favorites are these Chocolate-Guiness Stout Brownies from Bon Appetit. This recipe is easy and delicious! The brownies are dense, moist, and fudgey, more like a baked fudge than a regular brownie. The stout gives a little bit of a nutty flavor and the coffee makes the chocolate more rich.

Chocolate Guiness Stout Brownies

Recipe from Bon Appetit

1/2 cup of Guiness Stout or chocolate Stout

1/4 cup strong coffee(my addition)

12 oz. chocolate, semisweet, bittersweet or a combination

1 cup butter

11/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with foil and cooking spray. In a medium saucepan bring stout and coffee to a boil and reduce to 1/4 cup. 

In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt the chocolate and the butter and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool a little. 

Whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl to blend. Then add the chocolate and the stout/coffee mixture. Once smooth, fold in the flour and the salt. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. 

Cool on wire rack then enjoy.

Note: The original recipe does not include coffee, I add it because I think it makes the brownies taste richer. Also, the original had a chocolate stout glaze/frosting. I just drizzles mine with a little melted chocolate I had. You can obviously do whatever you like. 

I hope that you have a great day! Enjoy!

Linking to:
The Scoop
Talk of the Town
Ducks in a Row
The Essence of Home

The 12 Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Recipes to Celebrate National Peanut Butter Day

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Egg Cookies

Today is National Peanut Butter Day, who knew? I am a huge fan of peanut butter as long it is paired with a little chocolate. If you are looking for a few ideas to celebrate today check out these recipes which I have made countless times!

Double Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Reese's Peanut Butter Egg No Bake Cookies

Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats

Pretzel Peanut Butter Cup Magic Bars

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Treats

Peanut Butter and Kit Kat Magic Bars

Reese's S'mores

Rolo Peanut Butter Brownies

Fluffernutter Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Heat Cookies

Reese's Banana Bread

Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Aside from chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate cake with lots of frosting, brownies are something I make a lot. In part because I love brownie batter, almost more than the brownies, but also because they are simple to make and easy to send in the mail to family and friends.

This brownie is a recipe that I discovered in what I like to call the "bible" of brownies, Extreme Brownies  by Connie Weiss. If you are a brownie lover than you will definitely want to get this book!

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Recipe from Extreme Brownies Connie Weiss

Brownie

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter

4 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (6.8 ounces) bleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Chocolate drizzle

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon very hot water

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the chocolate and the chocolate chips. Use a whisk to mix the chocolate butter mixture until smooth then remove from heat and set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. In another bowl mix together the two sugars and the salt and than whisk into the egg mixture until just combines. Gradually add the slightly cooled chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Then add the vanilla. 

In a bowl whisk together flour and the baking powder, then sift with a strainer into the chocolate/egg mixture. Stir the mixture with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into a pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minuted until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool brownies on cooling rack. 

Chocolate Drizzle

Melt the butter and corn syrup over low heat in a small pan. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate chips, stir with a spatula until smooth, Stir in the hot water to thin the mixture. Then drizzle the chocolate over the brownie slab. Let the cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 7-8 hours or overnight. Cut and serve. 

Enjoy!

NOTE: I did not use the drizzle as I wanted to ship these and did not want them stuck together. They are fabulous with or without the chocolate drizzle. 

Order the Kindle Version for only $8.99!

Mom's Chocolate Cake

Is there anything better than cake? How about the cake you remember your mom making when you were little? My mom made the best cakes, layers of moist, chocolaty cake and tons of creamy chocolate frosting. This cake although not my moms recipe tastes exactly the way I remember hers. 

Mom's Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

4 ounces un-sweeted chocolate

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 2 8" round pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil over high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a large bowl and then add the chocolate, butter. Let sit for a few minutes then stir until melted and slightly cooled. Stir in the vanilla. 

Beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture at medium speed, then add all at once the flour mixture and continue beating on medium until smooth. Pour the batter into the two pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cook in pans for 25 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely. 

Frost cake and enjoy!

Frosting Recipe 

HERE

NOTES: I made a smaller cake and a few cupcakes, that is why I have 3 layers. I refrigerated my cake for transportation and so the frosting does not look super creamy here but it is when room temperature. 

Enjoy!

Fabulous Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 
  
• If you are like me than you are often in search of a new recipe to try, especially if it is for chocolate chip cookies, the more chips and chunks the better. I came across this great recipe from Baker By Nature and thought I would try them for Valentine's gifts. 

• What I love about the cookies is that they get a crispy crust on the outside like a meringue, and stay soft and gooey on the inside with a nutty, buttery taste and an an abundance of chocolate. 

• Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Recipe from Baker By Nature
• 
  
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 15 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 cup semi-sweet chips
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silphat lines and set aside. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside.

Place 8 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook for about 2 minutes - stirring almost constantly - until the butter has browned. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 7 tablespoons of butter; whisk until completely smooth. Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer and bring the butter back to room temperature. (The butter is at room temperature when you press a finger into the top and it makes a slight indentation.) 

Once the butter is at room temperature, add the sugars and the vanilla to the browned butter and whisk until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Then add the eggs and beat quickly - for only about 30 seconds - until they're just combined. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes, then beat the eggs for another 30 seconds. Gently fold in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, stirring only until the flour begins to disappear. Do not over mix  Fold in all chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 3 tablespoon sized balls (they should be big; almost a 1/4 cup), then place on prepared sheet and sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Place baking sheets in preheated 375 oven and bake for 11-14 minutes, or until golden at the edges but still soft in the middle. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely.

What will you be making for a Valentine's day treat for yourself or to share with family and friends? Cookies are the perfect treat because you can eat a few or more than a few and give some aways too!

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!