Chocolate Desserts

If the thought of Chocolate Desserts appeals to you, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Chocolate Lasagna, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE



I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.



Ingredients

1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu

12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.

Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.

Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.

Dig in! Yum!

CHOCOLATE LASAGNA

This is from Southern Living, and begins, "Dessert lasagna is a thing, and once you discover it, your kitchen will never be the same."

Makes 16 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/chocolate-lasagna.

Ingredients

1 (13.29-oz.) pkg. chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), crushed

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3-1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. cold milk, divided

1 (12-oz.) tub Cool Whip

1 (5.9-oz.) pkg. Instant chocolate pudding

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips, semisweet or milk

Directions

Crush cookies for crust:

Add 36 chocolate cookies to a large zip-top plastic bag and crush, using a rolling pin or meat mallet, until fine crumbs form.

Make crust:

Transfer crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish. Press crumbs into the bottom of pan. Place in refrigerator to chill while working on other layers.

Make cream cheese layer:

Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons milk and mix well. Stir in 1-1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread mixture over cookie crust.

Make chocolate pudding:

In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3-1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until pudding begings to thicken. Spread mixture over previous layer. Allow the dessert to rest for 5 minutes so the pudding can firm up further.

Finish assembling lasagna:

Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle evenly with mini chocolate chips.

Chill lasagna:

Place in freezer for 1 hour or in refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

GIANT PEANUT BUTTER CUP

This yumminess is from purewow, and begins, "Let’s be honest: All Halloween candies aren’t created equal, and peanut butter cups take the cake. They’re pretty much the best invention since, well, chocolate. So to pay homage to our favorite treat of all time, we’ve created the world’s biggest peanut butter cup. (OK, it might not *actually* be record-setting, but it’s BIG. Look at it!)

"With just seven ingredients and a straightforward set of instructions, this mega-Reeses isn’t difficult to make, but there are a few tricks you should keep in mind for success. When melting the chocolate, you’ll use a double boiler: basically, a bowl set over a small amount of simmering water. Be careful with the heat—you don’t want to burn the chocolate—and don’t get any water into the bowl, or that silky melted chocolate will seize up and you’ll have to start over. Finally, when slicing into this beauty, let it come to room temperature for about ten minutes and run your knife under hot water to avoid cracking. (But even if it cracks, it’ll still taste good.)

"We give you permission to conjure one of these up for every single Halloween party this season. The only catch is you have to invite us over."

Okay, this is me talking (or, rather, writing). Why save this yumminess for Halloween? If you're like me, you won't have a problem making this any time of the year, right?

Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Serves: Makes one 9-inch peanut butter cup (10 servings)

To view this online, go to https://www.purewow.com/recipes/giant-peanut-butter-cup.

Ingredients

12 ounces dark chocolate

10 ounces milk chocolate

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Bring a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water to a simmer over medium heat. Combine the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and coconut oil in a medium-size heatproof bowl and place it over the saucepan. (The bottom shouldn’t touch the water.)

Heat the chocolate over the water until it’s melted and smooth. Pour half of the chocolate into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base. Gently tap and swirl the pan until the chocolate fully coats the base. Refrigerate the base until fully set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla. On a piece of parchment paper, form the mixture into a 9-inch circle.

Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator and carefully place the peanut butter disk on top of it. Press the peanut butter layer into the edges of the pan. Pour the remaining chocolate over the peanut butter and gently tap and swirl until it fully coats the peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate until the top is fully set, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving. To slice, run a sharp chef’s knife under hot water and carefully cut the peanut butter cup into wedges. This ensures the top doesn't crack while you're slicing.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

Butter-flavor cooking spray

1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix

2 cups water, divided

2 large eggs

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

8 tablespoons whipped topping

Directions

Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.

Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1-1/2–1-3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.

HOT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

How does Hot Chocolate Cheesecake sound? Yum!

This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “Use your leftover hot chocolate or cocoa mix in both the crust and the filling of this super-rich cheesecake that tastes just like the classic drink.” Total Time: 3 hr 45 min; Prep: 30 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 2hr 30 min; Yield: 12 to 14 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-cheesecake.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Crust:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for the pan

9 graham crackers (about 1 sleeve)

1/4 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix

Pinch fine salt

Filling:

Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix

1 cup sour cream

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

10 marshmallows

Directions

Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan

For the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan.

Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter, hot chocolate mix and salt, and pulse until the mixture comes together and holds its shape when squeezed. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and press it into the bottom to make an even layer. Bake until the crust is just firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Place the pan on a large piece of foil, and fold the foil up the sides of the pan. (This helps seal the pan, to keep water out while baking.)

For the filling: Wipe out the food processor. Pulse the cream cheese, sugar, hot chocolate mix and sour cream until completely smooth, without any lumps, scraping down the side of the bowl a few times. Add the eggs and vanilla, and pulse until incorporated. Pour the filling into the crust, and set the pan inside a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to go halfway up the side of the springform pan (but not above the foil).

Bake the cheesecake until the edge is set but the center jiggles slightly (when you gently shake the pan, the cheesecake should move in a cohesive wave motion), 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, and open the door for a few seconds to let out some heat. Close the door, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven until cooked completely through, 1 hour more.

Transfer the springform pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. Wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Before serving, cut the marshmallows on the diagonal, and arrange them, cut-side down, in a neat line all over the top edge of the cheesecake.

CHOCOLATE GLAZED ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

This yumminess is from purewow, and begins, "Everyone needs a little pick-me-up. Sometimes it’s a latte. Sometimes it’s chocolate. But what about a recipe with a little bit of both? That’s the thinking behind our espresso cheesecake. We bake it New York-style—extra tall and rich—and make it even more impressive by coating it in shiny chocolate glaze."

Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Total Time: 5 hours; Serves: One 10-inch cake (10 servings)

To view this online, go to https://www.purewow.com/recipes/chocolate-glazed-espresso-cheesecake.

Ingredients

Crust

2-1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake

1/4 cup heavy cream

2-1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

3 pounds cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

1-3/4 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Glaze

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup chopped milk chocolate

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease the base of a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.

Make the Crust: In a large bowl, mix the chocolate cookie crumbs with the sugar and melted butter to combine. Press the mixture evenly into the base of the prepared springform pan. Bake until set, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Make the Cheesecake: In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Add the espresso powder and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cream cheese, sour cream, cooled heavy cream with espresso powder and sugar until well combined. Scrape well after mixing. Add the eggs one at a time, pulsing and scraping well after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt, and pulse to combine.

Pour the batter over the cooled crust and transfer to the oven. Once the cheesecake is in the oven, reduce the temperature to 300°F. Bake until the cheesecake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and refrigerate until fully cooled, about 2 hours. Run a knife around the edge of the cooled cheesecake, then release it from the springform pan.

Make the Glaze: In a small pot, heat the cream and corn syrup over medium heat. Place the milk chocolate into a small heat-safe bowl. When the cream comes to a boil, pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 15 seconds, untouched. Mix the ganache to combine, and pour immediately over the cheesecake. Let set before slicing and serving.

Note: This recipe is for an ultra-tall New York-style cheesecake. You can halve the amounts for the cheesecake custard and glaze (keep the crust amount the same) for a more moderately sized cheesecake. Reduce the baking time to 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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