Showing posts with label dark chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark chocolate. Show all posts

12.04.2012

Cookies and Cream Popcorn

How are your 
Christmas 
plans coming along?

This will be another year of
DIY Christmas Gifts
for my friends and family!

I like to do something
edible for all the
men in my life...

because,  to be completely honest,
that's about all I can come
up with for dude gifts! LOL!



Ingredients
{Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy}
2 bags Microwave Popcorn, salted only
26 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed
1 package White Chocolate Bark, melted
6 oz. Dark Chocolate, melted

Method
In a double broiler, melt the dark chocolate.
Melt bark in the microwave according to package directions. White chocolate can be very temperamental, so I would melt it in 20 second intervals and stir between each.
Place cookies in a food processor and pulse until they have become crushed. If you prefer a chunkier cookie in your mix, simply crush them with your fingers.
Place popcorn, one bag at the time, in microwave and cook according to package directions. I used a natural popping corn that had only been lightly salted. Once both bags have been popped, pour popcorn into a large bowl {making sure to remove all unpopped kernels} and stir in crushed cookies. Drizzle popcorn mixture with the melted white chocolate bark and stir to coat the entire batch.
Dump coated popcorn onto some wax paper and decorate with melted dark chocolate. Let all chocolate completely harden before placing in bowl, bag or jar. Makes approximately 16 cups and will keep for up to a week.

Helpful Hints:
  • You may want to consider using a store-bought popcorn - it seems to stay fresher and crisper longer. I would stick with a salted only flavor, though - Kettle Corn might be too sweet for some palates. I think this will be my best bet when giving it as a gift since I'm not really sure how quickly my recipient will eat their yummy treat!
  • I also think the best way to store/give this treat as a gift is in a glass jar. The popcorn didn't get soft as fast in the jar as opposed to being stored in a bag.
  • When making a second homemade batch, I poured the crushed cookies over the popcorn while it was still hot. That seemed to somewhat melt the vanilla filling, which I think only helps the white chocolate out in coating the popcorn! :) I will do it this way from now on when making a batch to be eaten the same day.

Oh, Smack-a-doodles!
This concotion is
dee-licious!

That salty crunch from the popcorn,
the sweet touch from bark and cookie
and an awesome bitter bite from the chocolate...


Your palate will 
tingle with excitement
from this combination - no doubt!

Everyone on your list
will L.O.V.E. finding gourmet
popcorn in their stocking!

Bag it up with a bow or
jar some up with a cutsie tag!
You can not go wrong!!


Better yet,
turn on "Elf" and eat
handfuls straight from the bowl!

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Yeah, I partied this week ->
Check out where on my sidebar!

8.12.2011

Orange-Chocolate Cupcakes

Do y'all watch Cupcake Wars?
I just recently got into the show
and now DVR every episode 
so I don't miss a one!

I just LOVE all the ideas
and cutting edge flavors
that are discovered through 
the pressure to impress.

About 2 weeks ago
there was a contestant who 
used a hallowed out orange
as the cupcake liner ...

GENIUS, right!?!

Needless to say,
that got my juices flowing!
Here's my take:


Ingredients for Six Cakes
{adapted from Stefani Pollack of Cupcake Project}
Cupcakes:
3 Oranges
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Instant Coffee or Espresso
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
2/3 cup Dark Cocoa Powder
2/3 cup Orange Juice
3 tbsp. Butter, melted
1 egg
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
Zest of 1/2 Orange

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut each orange in half and juice, reserving for later.


Hallow out the inside. Turn each half on it's side and slightly trim the bottom, giving it a flat surface to sit upon. Set aside.


In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until combined. Fill each half orange with batter, being sure not to over fill.

{ FYI: This is over-filled ... lol, made quite a mess! ;) }

Place each half orange on a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested in cake. Let cool.

Nutella Ganache
1/4 cup Nutella
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
In a microwave safe bowl, place ingredients in the microwave and cook for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Cook for 30 more seconds and stir again. It should be a great ganache consistency.
Dip cooled cupcakes into ganache.

Candied Orange Butterflies
If you would like to make these super cute and yummy little butterflies, I followed THIS recipe from foodnetwork.com.
Top each cupcake with a butterfly and serve with a spoon!


I don't even have words
to describe how
flippin' fantastic 
these little guys are!


The cake is
moist,
rich and
chocolaty ...

the ganache is
creamy,
smooth and
nutty ...

and the orange flavor
seeps into the cake
to flavor each bite 

perfectly!


{Oh, did I forget the butterfly? It adds wonderful flavor and crunch!}


Try 'em!
You will fall in LOVE!
Enjoy and
Happy Baking!
PARTY TIME:
Sweets For A Saturday - Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Weekend Wrap Up - Tatertots and Jello
Fat Camp Friday - Mangoes and Chutney
Weekend Show Off - Ladybird Ln.
Show And Tell - Be Different, Act Normal
Shindig Saturday - Kims Kandy Kreations
Strut Your Stuff - Six Sister's Stuff
Sweet Indulgence Sunday - A Well Seasoned Life
Savory Sunday - The Sweet Details
Savvy Homemade Mondays - Home Savvy A-Z
M.M.M. - C.R.A.F.T.
Craft-O-Matic Mondays
Amaze Me Mondays - Dittle Dattle
Mingle Monday - Add A Pinch
Recipe Sharing Monday - jam hands
Show Me What Ya Got - Not Just A Housewife
Topsy Turvy Tuesdays
What I Whipped Up Wednesday - Sugar and Dots
Cast Party Wednesday - Lady Behind The Curtain
What's Cooking Wednesday - Extreme Personal Measures
This Chick Cooks
Whatever Goes Wednesday - Someday Crafts
Sweet Treats Thursday - Something Swanky
Show Off Your Stuff - Fireflies and Jelly Beans
Recipe Swap - Prairie Story