Double Chocolate Doughnuts

Adapting the Chocolate Cupcakes recipe from Ottolenghi, I made these doughnuts as a experiment. The result was completely satisfactory adding a teaspoon of vanilla paste the chocolate get a intense flavor.

Makes 6 doughnuts

Ingredients

70g all-purpose flour
15g cocoa powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 eggs at room temperature 

60ml greek yogurt
50ml sunflower oil
65g light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1/3 cup dark chocolate, cut into small pieces 

Glaze

70ml heavy cream
20g salted butter, cut into pieces.
85g dark chocolate, chopped. 
7ml Irish cream (Baileys) optional

Coarsely chopped, pistachio for topping

Directions

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a doughnuts pan.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then whisk all the ingredients until combined, set aside. 

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, greek yogurt, vegetable oil, light brown sugar and vanilla paste, until combined. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Finally fold the chocolate chips.

Divide batter among greased doughnuts pan filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into doughnut comes out with a few crumbs.

Remove doughnuts from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes, then run a butter knife around edges to loosen and invert onto wire rack and let to cool completely.

Glaze

Meanwhile the doughnuts are in the oven, start by making the glaze. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set aside. Put the heavy cream into a small saucepan and place it over the heat almost boiling point, then remove from the heat and pour into chocolate. Use a tablespoon and stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the butter and Irish cream and beat until smooth.

Cover the surfaces of the chocolate bowl with cling film. Leave at room temperature until the doughnuts are cooled and the glaze has started to set.

Spread the glaze over tops of doughnuts with a tablespoon. Top with chopped pistachios and allow glaze to set at room temperature. 

Enjoy!!

Skillet-baked Chocolate Chip & Nut Cookies

Being really delicious and easy to make, I can say that they are definitely one of my favourite sweet treats. I strongly recommend making them!

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113g) salted butter
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 medium egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla paste
1 1/2 cup (160g) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon (2g) salt
2/3 cup (140g) dark chocolate chips (54% off cocoa)
1/4 cup (20g) walnuts and pecans, roughly chopped

Directions

Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).

Butter two 6-inch-skillets, set aside.

Start by melting the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. When the batter is melted retire from heat and let the butter to cool a little bit. 

Meanwhile the butter is cooling, take a large bowl and whisk together the egg, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until lightly pale and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla paste and the butter until combined.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and fold everything until incorporated with a rubber spatula. Finally, stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Keep some chocolate chips and nuts aside for topping.

Divide the batter evenly among the skillets, and smooth the top with a spoon. Spread the remaining chocolate chips and nuts on top. Bake for about 17 minutes or until golden brown on the edge but still slightly soft in the center. (If you have one big skillet you should bake it for 22 to 25 minutes).

Let cookies to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before serving.

This recipe was adapted from Linda Lomelino, Call me Cupcake

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Cupcakes

 

These chocolate cupcakes are moist and light. I have been making many different recipes so far, and I can say that finally I have found the right one. If you want to make them I promise you will not be disappointed!

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes
2 eggs at room temperature 

115ml soured cream
80ml sunflower oil
20g salted butter, melted
60g light brown sugar
60g granulated sugar
20ml molasses
120g all-purpose flour
35g cocoa powder 
1 teaspoon (8g) baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon (4g) bicarbonate of soda 
1/4 teaspoon (2g) salt
40g ground almonds
200g dark chocolate, cut into small pieces 

For the ganache
135ml heavy cream
35g salted butter, cut into pieces.
165g dark chocolate, chopped. 
15ml Irish cream (Baileys)

Direction

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Put the paper liners in the muffin pan.

Start by adding, the eggs, soured cream, sunflower oil, melted butter, sugars and molasses in a medium bowl. Whisk by hand everything together until well-combined, but it is really important not to overmix the batter in order to have good result. 

In another bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Then, add the dry ingredients over wet mixture, along with the salt and ground almonds, and fold together gently. Finally stir in the chocolate chopped.

Divide batter among baking cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for about 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes with a few crumbs. Let cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes before removing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile the cupcakes are in the oven, start by making the ganache. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set aside. Put the heavy cream into a small saucepan and place it over the heat almost boiling point, then remove from the heat and pour into chocolate. Use a tablespoon and stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the butter and Irish cream and beat until smooth.

Cover the surfaces of the chocolate bowl with cling film. Leave at room temperature until the cupcakes are cooled and the ganache has started to set.

Place a mound of whipped ganache (about 1 tablespoons) on top of each cupcake, and frost each using a small spoon or a small offset spatula to create swoops. Decorate with sea salt flakes, fresh raspberries or chocolate sprinkles.

This recipe was adapted from BBC good food by Ottolengui.

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Muffins

Makes 8 big muffins or 12 regular muffins.
These Chocolate muffins are moist and fluffy. They are even better than the ones from bakeries!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (180g) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (4g) baking soda, optional
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
A pinch of salt
2/3 cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
200ml sour cream or plain yogurt 
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (160g) dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla bean paste
3/4 cup (120g) bittersweet chocolate chips (54% cocoa)
2 tablespoons (30ml) hot water, optional
Sea salt flakes to garnish

To make this recipe you will need: a whisk, 2 bowls, a muffin pan and some paper liners or tulip muffin cases. 

Directions

In a large bowl sitf the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda (if it's using) and salt. Whisk together, set aside.

In another bowl whisk the egg and the egg yolk lightly, then add the vegetable oil, sour cream or plain yogurt and vanilla paste, beat until smooth.

Add the wet ingredients into dry ingredients, never the other way around and fold gingerly with a rubber spatula. Do not to overmix the batter in order to have good results. (At this point, if the batter is too dry and thick stir in the hot water until smooth). Stir the chocolate chips in by hand whit a rubber spatula. Put the batter into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Position rack in the middle of the oven. Put the paper liners in the muffin pan (I used the tulip muffin cases).

Take the batter from the fridge. Use a medium size scoop spoon to pour the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Place in the middle of the oven and bake to 190ºC about 8 minutes, then reduce temperature to 160ºC and continues baking for 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick insert in the muffins comes out with a few crumbs.

Get the muffin pan from the oven and place it over a wire rack. Decorate muffins with some chocolate chips on top meanwhile they are still warm and some sea salt flakes. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer the muffins onto the wire rack.

This recipe was adapted from Conelchef

Enjoy!!

Ghost Chocolate Cake for Halloween

INGREDIENTS

For the ghosts
2 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

For the cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 dark brown sugar
1/2 dark cocoa powder (I use Cacao Barry Extra Brute)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 buttermilk 
1/2 cup brewed coffee or espresso
1/2 sunflower oil
2 eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate frosting

2 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar ( I use light brown sugar)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon dark chocolate 70% cocoa, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Dark chocolate glaze
1/2 cup dark chocolate (70%)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

To make the ghosts

Preheat oven to 230ºF (110ºC). Whip the eggs white and the pinch of salt in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk in sugar and keep whisking for a couple of mins until the mixture is thick and resembles shaving foam. Put mixture into piping bag, cut a 1.5cm hole. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Squeeze a small circle of whipped egg white, pulling upwards to make a ghost shape. You should get about 20 ghosts. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until crisp. 

To make the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (180ºC). Grease three 6-inch (15cm) sandwich cake pans with non-stick baking spray.

In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder and brewed coffee until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing well until incorporated. Stir in sugar until combined. 

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk, sunflower oil, coffee mixture and vanilla extract until combined, then fold with a rubber spatula the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans (I always use a medium size scoop spoon to divide equal the batter into the pans). 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let to cool for about 5 minutes in the pans before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate frosting

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt a bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 1-inch of gently simmering water. Whisking gently and constantly, heat mixture until sugar is dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened and foamy and registers 150°F (60ºC) on a candy thermometer or a digital thermometer, about 3 minutes.

Retire the bowl from the heat and whisk with a hand mixer on medium speed until slightly cooled and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. Add the melted chocolate until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light, fluffy, and well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

To make the chocolate glaze

Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and place it in a saucepan together with butter, over low heat. Stir often until everything is melted. Add a pinch of salt. Let cool to room temperature (but make sure it doesn’t thicken too much, it should still be liquid).

DECORATION

Paint ghosts' eyes with chocolate glazed with a toothpick or skewer.

Fill a piping bag with the chocolate frosting whit a round nozzle. Put some frosting on the plate to avoid the cake turn it out.

 

Place the first cake layer on a plate, then pipe or a layer of frosting on top. Don’t pipe or spread all the way out to the edge as the weight of the cake will make it spread.

Place the second layer on top of the first layer. Pipe a layer of frosting on top. Put the third layer on top. If it is necessary put the cake in the fridge for a few minutes to stabilize.

Pour the glaze over the cake and quickly spread it over the edges of the cake to make it run down the sides.

Put some gosht on top.

Happy halloween!

Recipe inspired from Kanela y Limón, Tarta fantasma de chocolate

Enjoy!!