Tag: dessert

Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs

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Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs

Ian’s Professional Engineering exam is right around the corner. In order to sneak in more study time, we decided to forgo driving back to Madison for Easter and opted to celebrate at home. Since it will just be the two of us, I wanted to make the day feel special by adding a few festive elements – one of which are these delicate chocolate-filled eggs!

Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs

My naturally dyed Easter eggs where a fail last year, so I really wanted to redeem myself! After the hollowed eggs were sanitized I filled them with tempered chocolate and let them set. I was nervous this would turn out to be another Easter DIY disaster, but much to my surprise they worked!

Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs

If you’re hosting Easter dinner, you could write each guests name on an egg and use them as table settings! Or simply hide them around the yard for a fun Easter egg hunt!

Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs

Supplies:

  • 6 Eggs
  • Pin
  • 1 Kabob stick
  • 1 Tbs. vinegar
  • Egg carton
  • 6 chocolate candy bars
  • Masking Tape
  • Paint
  • Paint brush

How to:

  • Wash the eggs gently with soap and water and pat dry
  • Using a pin, carefully tap a small hole in the top and bottom of the egg.
  • Insert a kabob stick into the egg to break up the yoke the blow through one of the holes to release the egg
  • Place the hollowed eggs in a pot of water and 1 Tbs. vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Once the eggs are dry, place masking tape over the bottom hole and place them in an egg carton
  • Temper the chocolate and pour into each egg until full
  • Set aside to set, then gently peel off the masking tape
  • Decorate with paint and enjoy!

 

 

 

Whisky Walnut Cake

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Whisky Walnut Cake

In elementary school St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated with green milk, shamrock sugar cookies and Rolos. While green milk is something I would like to stay in the past, I have tried to hold true to the tradition of creating festive treats for the holiday. As years have gone by, I’ve tested out Lucky Charm bars, Guinness Brownies and Irish cream cocktails.  This year, I chose to go out of my comfort zone and try something different – a mini tiered Whisky walnut cake!

Whisky Walnut Cake

To keep things simple, this recipe uses a boxed cake mix. After walnuts and coffee are folded into the batter, you won’t even recognize that this is a store bought mix! Topped with silky whisky buttercream, this St. Patrick’s Day inspired cake is sure to be an instant hit with friends and family!

Whisky Walnut Cake

Whisky Walnut Cake

Ingredients:

  • Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix
  • 1-1/3 C. strong coffee
  • 1/2 C. coconut oil, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 C. walnuts, crushed

For the frosting:

  • 3 C. powdered sugar
  • 1/3 C. butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 Tbs. bourbon

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and greese two round 6 inch cake pans.
  • Mix together cake mix, coffee, coconut oil, eggs and walnuts until well combined.
  • Pour equal amounts of cake batter into each pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Set cakes aside to cool. Mix together frosting ingredients until buttercream is smooth. If texture is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistancy.
  • Frost cake as desired and enjoy!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

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Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies. Perfect for the holidays!Chocolate and mint. A pairing made in heaven. Am I right?! This is just a combination I can’t pass up. While it’s often categorized as a holiday flavor, I’m guilty of indulging in it all year long. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that these Chocolate Candy Cane cookies were on the top of my list to bake!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies. Perfect for the holidays!

The dough, a decadent mixture heavy with melted chocolate, will test your willpower. While you may be tempted to eat the batter before you roll them out to bake, the wait is worth it. Trust me!

Once the cookies are out of the oven and have time to cool, you are ready for the fun part – decorating! If you have had a particularly stressful day, then you will get even more joy out of this stage since you get to smash candy canes with a rolling pin. Now, don’t get too carried away since you may bust open your Ziploc bag and little pieces of candy cane will fly all over your kitchen. (I may, or may not be speaking from experience….)

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies. Perfect for the holidays!

Now that your candy canes are crushed into little pieces, all you have to do is dunk your cookie into melted chocolate and add a dusting of candy cane on top. Set aside for the chocolate to set, then you are ready to enjoy your cookies. Enjoy!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 C. butter
  • 2 Tbs. water
  • 1.5 C. brown sugar
  • 2 C. chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 2.5 C. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 bar dark baking chocolate
  • 3 candy canes, crushed

Directions:

  1. In a large pan on low heat, melt the butter, water and sugar.
  2. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted.
  3. Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside.
  4. Once cool, beat in the eggs, then slowly add in the dry ingredients.
  5. Chill dough for 1 hour, then roll into small balls and bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Once cookies have cooled, and dip them half-way in melted chocolate.
  7. Place on a non-stick surface and sprinkle the cookies with candy canes.
  8. Once the chocolate has set, store cookies in an airtight container.