Microwave Chocolate Lava(ish) Cake

So I was walking through Target one day, and spotted some super cute and cheap ramekins by the dishes. They were simple ribbed white ones, for 1.99, so I grabbed two and started thinking of things I could make in them! I just so happened to be craving chocolate and ice cream that night, so I looked up ideas for chocolate mug cakes. Only problem was, I was out of eggs. Lucky me, I found a recipe that didn't need eggs, and I had everything the recipe asked for. So I gave it a try!

It came out so tasty! I'm sure baked lava cakes, with eggs, partially baked, are equally as tasty, and a bit more lava like, but seriously, these cakes are still super good! Also, they are really easy, LITERALLY anyone could make these and not fail.

If you want to learn to make a microwavable chocolate lava cake, in under 5 minutes from start to finish, keep reading!

Side note: These are SO perfect for a Valentines Day dessert! This recipe is just for one. But you can very easily double it. And ALSO, if you don't have a ramekin, a microwave safe mug would work just as well! :)

---- Microwave Chocolate Lava(ish) Cake----
makes 1 serving

3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp water
pinch of salt
small piece of chocolate, OR a tbsp or two of chocolate chips (for melty center)
---------------------------------------------------------

This recipe is SO simple. All you do, is mix all the above ingredients together, minus the chocolate for the center. Make sure everything is mixed well, and pour into your buttered/ greased ramekin/mug.

Once you've done that, all you do is microwave for 1 min 30 seconds. I only did mine for 1 min 20 seconds, but I have a really powerful microwave!

When your cake is done, Pull it out of the microwave (carefully) and using a spoon, poke a hole in the center, fill it with your chocolate chips, or piece of chocolate of your choosing, and then cover with ice cream, powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, fresh berries, whipped cream.... ANYTHING! It is so good, and definitely best served hot!

*If you are going to make more than one, just be sure you microwave each one alone, otherwise they make cook unevenly!*

Valentines Day Chocolate Truffles

Sorry I didn't post anything sooner, I have been so tired! And every time I think of a great recipe, things just don't go my way. I have not been able to master macarons. It is the most frustrating thing EVER. I made the batch about a year ago, the chocolate mocha ones on the blog, and those came out pretty good. But other than those, I have yet to have a batch that is perfect. They are always hollow, or flat, or cracked. I just DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WRONG! I was going to post a really cute heart shaped macaron recipe, but that obviously isn't happening. They wouldn't set, and so they were just heart shaped blogs. Don't worry, I'll keep trying. Maybe we'll have some fourth of july macarons LOL

Anyways, I decided to start the Valentines Day ideas with something really quick and easy. I know anyone can make these, I could have finished these the first day, but I totally took my time. I let the chocolate chill for 3 days before I rolled them, and they still came out great! I hope yall like these, I haven't been able to stop eating them :)

----Chocolate Truffles----

2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp butter (salted)

for rolling:

cocoa powder

sprinkles ( I used 2 different kinds)

any other fun ideas you come up with!

Place your chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. (Just in case we need a bit more melting after the cream) Set aside.

Place the butter and cream in a small sauce pan, and put on medium heat. Once tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pot, turn the heat off & pour the mixture over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for 2 minutes before stirring.

IF your chocolate isn't completely smooth, you can microwave it for 15 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval. Once the chocolate is completely smooth, cover and refrigerate for 5 hours, or up to 3 days.

When the chocolate is cooled, prepare a pan or plate with parchment paper, and get some cold frozen veggies, or a baggie of ice. (Something to keep your hands cold between rolling each truffle)

Take about 2 tbsp of chocolate (a heaping spoonful) into your hands, and roll it into a ball, then place on the parchment paper. If at any point your hands are too warm and the chocolate is getting too messy, rinse your hands, and press your hands on the frozen veggies until your hands are cool. Then continue the process, until your truffles are rolled.

In small bowls, or disposable cups in my case, place whatever you choose to coat your truffles with. I used sprinkles and cocoa powder. Roll each truffle, place on the parchment, and once they're all rolled, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for as long as your whipping cream carton says. (Expiration on the whipping cream)

These are so good right out of the fridge, but even creamier if you take them out about 5 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit! SO GOOD!

Holidays 2015: Peppermint Bark

Alright! I am back for my last holiday post of the year! And probably my last post of 2015! I figured since it's so close to Christmas, I'd post something really simple with just a few ingredients. I hope everyone loves peppermint and candy canes as much as I do. I know my husband doesn't, but he doesn't count. ;)

I will get straight to it, I have cookies in the oven, so I'll keep this short and sweet!

Try it out and let me know what you think :)


____Peppermint Bark____

2 cups semi sweet chocolate
2 cups white chocolate
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 tbsp of crisco (or butter), seperated into 1 tbsp and 1 tbsp
4-6 crushed candy canes

In a microwave safe bowl, melt semi sweet chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds, then 15 second intervals until almost smooth. Then, add 1 tbsp of crisco (or butter) and stir until incorporated. If needed, microwave another 10 to 15 seconds, making sure not to burn the chocolate.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pour the chocolate out, and spread into an even layer. Remember not to leave it too thick, because once it's set, we will be adding a second kind of chocolate over the top.

Allow the chocolate to set in the refridgerator for 20 minutes.

Once the 20 minutes have passed, begin melting the white chocolate just like the other chocolate. Add the crisco/butter, stir until smooth. Once the white chocolate is fully melted and completely smooth, add peppermint extract. I only added 1/2 tsp to mine, but if you would like your bark to have a stronger peppermint taste, feel free to add as much as your tastebuds can handle! Stir in 1/4 of the crushed candy canes.

Then pour the white chocolate out over the semi-sweet chocolate that has already set. Spread it evenly over the top.

(Some areas of my chocolate were not as set as I thought they were, which is why there was a bit of streaking throughout my chocolate, but no worries, it was still perfectly tasty!) Once the white chocolate is evenly spread, sprinkle the remaining candy cane bits over the top, and allow to set in the refridgerator for atleast 20 mintues.

Once the bark is completely set, use your hands, or the back of a spoon to break the bark into chunks to serve and or eat! YUMM-O! so so good!

Holidays 2015: Soft Gingerbread Cookies

I am a huge fan of anything gingery or cinnamon flavored. So these cookies were totally for me. I don't particularly care for the crunchy cracker like gingerbread cookies, so I used a recipe that claimed to make softer cookies. They definitely did! These cookies were so soft and tasty, everyone loved them!!

I didn't write this recipe myself, or even change anything about it. The cookie recipe from Blossomtostem.net is what I used, I just didn't use her glaze recipe, since I wanted to decorate these with Bennett.

I still (at the time we made the cookies) didn't have a memory card for the camera, so, again, bare with me. I used my phone again for the pictures, but if you follow the link below, she uses a much more detailed approach, with much better pictures!!

http://www.blossomtostem.net/2014/12/16/soft-gingerbread-cookies


----Soft Gingerbread Cookies----
(courtesy of blossomtostem.net)

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed is fine)
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Make the dough a day ahead of time, and chill in the fridge. 

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl, and set aside. 

Add the butter to your mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed for about one minute. With the mixer on medium, slowly add the sugar and mix until smooth, pale, and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add the molasses and corn syrup and beat on medium speed until well combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of your bowl.

Add the dry ingredients in three seperate batches, and mix until all the dry bits are incorporated.

The dough will be very soft. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap, dump your dough out, and form a big round/rectangular disc, about 1.5 inches thick. Wrap it tightly and securely, and place in the fridge until it's time to make cookies!

About 20 minutes before you want to bake the cookies, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to soften about 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350F.

Once it's soft enough to roll out, roll your dough out on a clean, floured surface. I rolled mine out to about a 1/3 inch thick, then I placed my cut outs on parchment lined baking trays. (continue to ball up and roll out left over dough until it's all used!) Bake for 7-15 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.

I baked mine for 10 mintues and they were soft and perfect!

Allow cookies to fully cool before you decide to decorate. (To poke holes for faces/buttons, I used the blunt end of a wooden skewer before I baked the cookies!)

For my icing, I mixed pasturized egg whites, with a splash of vanilla, and lots of powdered sugar. No measurments, just until the consistency was thick enough to pipe out of a baggie, BUT not so thin that it would run off the cookie. I used food coloring to color the icing. I ran out of red, so I used pink ;)

** Above, I showed you how I outline, and fill in my cookies! I just used a toothpick to drag the icing around and fill in all the little spaces, then I sprinkled little pearl sprinkles over the top before the icing set, so it would stick! **

Decorate and ENJOY! The cookie icing takes about 10 mins to fully dry, then they are ready to eat! :)