Give yourself sweet delight

Give yourself sweet delight
Here are some chocolate recipes that be sure to please your sweet tooth's desires.
Chocolate Truffle Cake With Strawberry Sauce
This recipe was a finalist in the 2000 Share The Very Best Recipe Contest. Like your favorite candies, this chocolate cake combines the flavors of deep, rich chocolate with luscious, sweet strawberries.
Ingredients:
13/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) milk chocolate morsels, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butterscotch flavored morsels
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 garnish ideas: whipped topping, fresh strawberries, mint leaves
For truffle cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9-inch springform pan. Melt 1 cup milk chocolate morsels and butter in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Cool for 10 minutes.
Beat eggs, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla extract and salt in large mixer bowl. Blend in chocolate mixture. Stir in flour; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Remove side of pan.
For glaze: Melt remaining milk chocolate morsels, butterscotch morsels and peanut butter in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Cool slightly. Spread glaze over top and side of cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until glaze is set.
For sauce: Place strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, cut into wedges. Garnish with strawberry sauce, whipped cream, strawberries and mint leaves.
Yields 12.
Chocolate Chip Holiday Tea Cakes
For all the chocolate fans out there. This variation of the beloved holiday cookie incorporates chocolate chips inside as well as melted chocolate drizzled on top.
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup finely chopped nuts
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter and powdered sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour and nuts. Stir in 11/2 cups morsels. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and light golden brown on bottom. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Microwave remaining morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on high power for 30 to 45 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over cookies. Refrigerate cookies for about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store at room temperature in airtight containers.
Note: For a spicier cookie, add 2 to 21/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to flour before adding to butter-sugar mixture.
Yields 54 cookies.
Tiny Chocolate Cakes and Fruit Kabobs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
24 bite-size pieces pound cake
24 bite-size pieces fresh fruit or berries, (pineapple, banana, melon, strawberries)
1 can (10-oz.) frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
3 tablespoons or more sugar
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
Microwave morsels and vegetable shortening in a medium, microwave-safe bowl on high power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Dip cake pieces into chocolate mixture; shake off excess. Place on prepared baking sheet; drizzle tops with additional chocolate. Refrigerate until set. On skewers, alternately thread chocolate coated pieces of cake with pieces of fruit; refrigerate. Serve with strawberry sauce.
For strawberry sauce: Puree strawberries and sugar in blender until smooth.
Yields 8.
Giant Valentine Cookie
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
13/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) milk chocolate morsels, divided
Decorator icing (in tubes, optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and wax paper-line 81/2 or 9-inch heart-shaped pan.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup morsels; spread into prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Microwave remaining morsels in small, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring until melted; spread over cookie. Decorate with icing.
Baking sheet cookie variation: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pat dough into 8-inch circle on ungreased baking sheet with floured hands. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.
Yields 12 servings.
Buckeye Cake
Decadent and rich, this moist chocolate cake layered with a creamy peanut butter filling and chocolate ganache topping is sure to delight friends and family. Elegant in appearance but easy to make, Krista Linegar of Willits, Calif., created this Grand Prize Winning cake because it reminded her of her Grandma's Buckeye candies.
Cake
2 large eggs
11/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 packets (1 oz. each) Choco Bake Unsweetened Chocolate Flavor
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Peanut butter layer
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Ganache
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup peanut butter & amp; milk chocolate morsels
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch-round cake pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; grease.
For cake: Combine eggs and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour, melted butter, Choco Bake, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake; cool for an additional 10 minutes. Invert cake onto serving platter. Remove pan and parchment; cool completely.
For peanut butter layer: Beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in medium mixer bowl until combined. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Spread mixture on cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For ganache: Heat cream in small saucepan to boiling; remove from heat. Add semi-sweet morsels; let stand 5 minutes. Stir; refrigerate for 30 minutes or until mixture is spreadable. Spread chocolate on top and sides of cake.
Melt peanut butter & amp; milk chocolate morsels in resealable plastic bag on medium-high power for 30 seconds. Knead bag to mix. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals until melted. Cut a small hole from corner of bag; squeeze to drizzle over cake. Store in refrigerator. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.
Yields 8 servings.
Source: Nestle