Desserts

We’re a batch made in heaven…

Categories Desserts, FoodLeave a Comment on We’re a batch made in heaven…

Red Velvet. Chocolate. Cheesecake. All in one cookie? What the heck – yes please!

Every year around Christmas time, my kitchen is filled with yummy smells, and my scale gets a workout.

I usually make around 10-15 different types of cookies, bars, cakes, etc.. and this year I was looking to change up my tried and true. I tried a couple different recipes, and I found that the below worked best.

One who is always up to test my baking is my brother Adam, Adam is also one of the pickiest eaters I have ever met – like painfully picky – so when he asked for seconds, and thirds, I knew I found a winner.

This is a cookie that takes time, you need to make ahead the cheesecake centers so they can freeze, as well as the dough needs to time to chill in the fridge – so either take a couple days to make, or throw on a few tunes, and move around in between (like I said my scale gets a workout this time of year)

I hope you love these as much as we did (especially my brother) and you know what… truly enjoy every last bite – the scale can wait another day….

Cancel all my plans, I just wanna sit here and watch hot cocoa bombs explode. . .

Categories Desserts, FoodLeave a Comment on Cancel all my plans, I just wanna sit here and watch hot cocoa bombs explode. . .

After eight days straight of scrolling through Tik Tok – I decided that was it. I must go in my kitchen and make hot cocoa bombs. I don’t even particularly like hot cocoa – yet I was compelled to start – why because Tik Tok made me do it.

In case you have been living under a rock for the entire holiday season hot cocoa bombs are cute little balls of chocolate that you throw into your fave mug and when you pour hot milk into the mug, the chocolate melts and magically releases the marshmallows and cocoa hiding inside. Sounds amazing. I know.

I start rummaging through my baking pantry – seemed simple enough, Chocolate, Cocoa and Marshmallows – how hard could this be? I should be sippin’ in no time… Wrong. Do not pass go. Fail.

The hardest part was not the ingredients – it was trying to find the molds. Not only did Tik Tok make me do it – but also thousands of others…. every local craft/food store in the area were sold out. I had to scour Amazon for some in stock and was finally able to order some (see link below)

After quite a few tries – I finally found a method/recipe that worked best for me:

Chocolate.  Do not use the candy melts – they tend to leave a waxy residue in your cup. Also no need for the high end Calebut wafers, regular ol’ milk or dark chocolate chips works!

Microwave on high in 20 seconds bursts to melt the chocolate stirring in between. I know its a pain in the butt but trust me, the chocolate will be much smoother and pourable.

Fill the molds. Scoop about a tbsp of chocolate into the molds and use a pastry brush to push the chocolate around the mold, making sure it reaches right up to the edges. Throw those suckers in the freezer for about 10 min to set.

Repeat. Scoop about a 1/2 tbsp of chocolate into the molds and use a pastry brush to cover any spots that may have been missed the first time. Throw those suckers back in the freezer for another 10 min to set.

Remove the chocolate from the molds. Be careful – and wear gloves if you have sweaty ol’ palms like me. Gently push the half spheres out of the mold. If you are doing multiple at a time, I put the in the freezer on a baking tray until ready to melt.

Melt the edges. I used a frying pan on a low, you want it hot enough to melt the chocolate. Pick up one empty half of the chocolate bomb and place it on the pan for a couple of seconds, just until it melts

Fill. Add 1 tablespoon hot cocoa powder and marshmallows to the empty half you just melted. Pick up another half and melt that edge as well, then push the two sides together to seal.

Decorate.  Drizzle some extra chocolate and decorate with crushed candy canes, sprinkles or mini chips. Make sure your drizzle is not too hot or it will melt your bomb and you’ll be sad.

Want to really kick it up a notch? Trying using my recipe for homemade Champagne marshmallows (link here) or add some boozy goodness Bailey’s, Peppermint Schnapps or Whiskey

Amazon Links https://www.amazon.ca/Baking-Chocolate-Mousse%EF%BC%8CExtra-5-Cavity-Silicone/dp/B088BK9LXB/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=sphere+mold&qid=1610244962&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFURFkxNDRIWlRaWkcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2MDIzMTcxWUhSRVBERFdWVzNQJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzMTQ2MzIyVkhRM1FGRk0zUTRPJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==