DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE TRUFFLES

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. heavy cream

1 tsp.  – 2 tsps orange extract

icing sugar, for dusting

melted white chocolate for dusting, optional

chocolate powder for dusting, optional

sprinkles for dusting, optional

Directions:

Melt chocolate, butter and cream in a microwave. Stir until smooth.

Stir in extract. Cool for about 5 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

With a melon baller or small spoon scoop out mixture and form into 1 inch balls. Toss with chocolate powder, melted white chocolate or sprinkles to coat.

Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes: 24

You can also use melted white chocolate to coat these truffles.  And, if you like, you can use a little red and some yellow food coloring to make the white chocolate orange.

Chocolate powder or sprinkles can also be used to coat the truffles.

Ingredients

Melted and ready to Chill

Various Coatings

DARK CHOCOLATE LEMON TRUFFLES

Coated in White Chocolate

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. heavy cream

1 tsp.  – 2 tsps lemon extract

icing sugar, for dusting

melted white chocolate for dusting, optional

chocolate powder for dusting, optional

sprinkles for dusting, optional

Directions:

Melt chocolate, butter and cream in a microwave. Stir until smooth.

Stir in extract. Cool for about 5 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

With a melon baller or small spoon scoop out mixture and form into 1 inch balls. Toss with chocolate powder, melted white chocolate or sprinkles to coat.

Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes: 24

You can also use melted white chocolate to coat these truffles.  And, if you like, you can use a little red and some yellow food coloring to make the white chocolate orange.

Chocolate powder or sprinkles can also be used to coat the truffles.

Ingredients

Melted and Ready to set in the Refrigerator

All kinds of coating

DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Sliced and Ready to Eat

A Slice of Yumminess

INGREDIENTS

1 cup heavy whipping cream ½  cup peanut butter 1/8 cup Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter* ¼ tsp salt 3 ½ tsp baking powder 1/3 cup extra fine baker’s sugar (if available) 2 cups  all purpose flour ½ cup dark chocolate chips ¼ cup milk (if needed)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 370 degrees.  Cream together milk and peanut butters until well blended. Sift together the remaining ingredients; add to creamy mixture slowly until well mixed. If dough is too dry, add approximately ¼ cup milk.  Gently stir in chocolate chips. Pour into well greased loaf pan (I used 5x8-inch pan). Bake for 30 minutes. Test with toothpick as ovens heat differently. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Use a knife to gently release from side of bread pan.  Carefully remove from bread pan and cool on cooling rack and/or serve warm.  Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. *if dark chocolate peanut butter is not available, the recipe will still be chocolately enough with the dark chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter and Whipping Cream Mixture

Dry Ingredients

Dough and Chocolate Chips

Ready for the Oven

Just Out of the Oven

On Cooling Rack

On Cutting Board

Sliced and Ready to Serve

A Yummy Slice to Eat

Frozen Yogurt and Chocolate Bliss Cups

Frozen Yogurt and Chocolate Bliss Cups - (dark chocolate, Greek yogurt, and pure awesomeness) Easy to make. These are little delights that are a refreshing treat. Fairly healthy for a delicious mini frosty morsel. Serve these at a gathering and your guests will not be disappointed.

My friend Jenn and I developed these little delicious gems.  Both of us are trying to come up with healthier desserts to offer our families.


Ingredients:

1 10 oz. bag high quality dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Chips)

2 6 oz. containers Greek yogurt, naturally flavored, not plain (I used raspberry flavor)

16 Fresh Raspberries, washed and drained

Ziploc quart size freezer bag

Decorating tip and attachment

Cooking Spray

Mini Cupcake Papers

Yield: 16 mini cups

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring with a spatula.  The chocolate should be smooth and velvety.  Arrange your cupcake papers onto a baking sheet and lightly mist with cooking spray (be sure to coat the sides of the papers with spray, too).  Spoon (I used a mini teaspoon) the melted chocolate into the cupcake papers, coating the bottoms and sides entirely.  Put an extra spoon full of melted chocolate at the bottom of each cup.  Once all cupcake papers are coated, place the tray in the refrigerator to cool for about five to ten minutes.  Pipe(I used a quart size Ziploc freezer bag, stuffed the yogurt in it to one corner and then cut the corner at the tip and fastened the decorating tip to the bag** ) or spoon the yogurt mixture into the cooled chocolate cups. Place a single upside down raspberry in the center of each filled cup.  Cover with plastic wrap or one of those shower cap food covers and place the tray in the freezer for a 2 to 2 ½ hours or so to freeze completely.  Keep frozen and eat them immediately after they are served.

** a decorating tip is not essential, it will just make your little yogurt cups more festive.

Any flavor yogurt may be used.  Strawberry – garnish with a strawberry slice.  Blackberry – garnish with a single blackberry.  Cherry, garnish with a pitted cherry, etc.

Milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate may also be substituted.

Tip – the raspberry may get frosty when you take them out of the freezer.  To take the frost off, make sure your hands are clean and dip your fingers in some warm water, then gently rub the raspberry with the warm water.  Serve immediately.

Variation: Chocolate Covered Frozen Yogurt Bliss Cups

When melting chocolate, melt about 5 oz. more.  Follow the directions above, but after you add the raspberry, add some melted  chocolate to cover the yogurt.  Partially submerge the raspberry in the chocolate covering.  Freeze as directed and enjoy.  See picture on bottom of page.

Ingredients

Cooking Spray Sprayed Cupcake Liners

Ziplock for Piping

Chocolate for Melting in Makeshift Double Boiler

Melted Chocolate

Chocolate Lined Cupcake Liner

Chocolate lined Cupcake Liner

Chocolate Cup Cake Liners on the Cookie Sheet

Yogurt in the Ziploc

Chocolate just out of the Refrigerator

With Yogurt Raspberry Piped In

Garnished with Raspberry ready to Freeze

Ready to Freeze

Just out of the Freezer

Ready to Eat

Chocolate Covered Variation: Ready to Freeze.  Chocolate had already begun to set when I took the photo.

Chocolate Covered Variation: Ready to Eat.  I hope to get a better photo of this.