Dark and Chewy Hot Fudge

I really love the hot fudge at old style ice cream shops (or should I say shoppes?). The kind that is gooey and a little chewy once it chills on the ice cream. The only problem is, I usually like my fudge a little darker than the stuff they serve. After searching and testing, this is what I came up with: It has the texture that is more like goo than syrup, with a dark, creamy, taste that's not too sweet and melts in your mouth.

6 oz dark chocolate of your choice
1/4 C cocoa powder (I use a combo of regular and Dutch processed)
2 TBS butter
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp Vanilla or coffee extract

Chop chocolate into chunks. Put all ingredients in a saucepan on medium low heat and stir until melted. If you like even chewier hot fudge, cook it for a few minutes after its melted. Use it to make old fashioned ice cream sundaes. Store it in an airtight jar in the fridge. I've never had it go bad on me.

Rolo Cookies

Think rich chocolate cookie with a chewy carmel center. That's the ROLO cookie. And it's one of the few cookie recipes on the planet that has survived my kitchen without receiving a Maret ingredient makeover. It's a solid, reliable, decadent recipe. I think the only thing that could improve it is a higher quality carmel candy. You just have to find one that's not liquidy. That's the trick. If you know of any, let me know.

Tips for this recipe: Freezing the Rolos is necessary. Freezing the candies prior to baking allows them to stay within the cookie's envelope (without falling out the bottom). The dough is incredibly thick. I recommend mixing by hand when you add the last bit of flour mixture. ENJOY!



ROLO Chocolate Cookies (from Nestle)

4 pkg (52 g each) ROLO chocolates
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup cocoa powder
1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar (optional, for rolling)

Steps:
Place ROLOS in freezer for at least 6 hours. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and baking powder until combined and no lumps remain. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in brown sugar and vanilla, then egg, until smooth. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Let dough stand for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180oC). With hands, roll 1 tbsp (15 ml) of dough for each cookie into balls and place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. If using, place granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Bake no more than 15 cookies at a time and remove 1 package of ROLOS at a time from the freezer. Press each ball of dough into about a 2-inch (5 cm) circle. Place a ROLO in centre; wrap dough around ROLO so it is evenly covered. Seal well so there are no cracks. Roll into a ball. Roll in sugar, if desired. Place about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in centre of oven for about 8 minutes or until dry to the touch. Cool on sheet on rack.
Makes about 40 cookies.
Nutrients per cookie:
About 95 Calories, 1 g Protein, 4 g Fat, 14 g Carbohydrates.

Sweets and more sweets.

I haven't been having cravings, friends. No, I have yet to experience that awesomeness. Instead, I am just perusing cooking magazines and blogs and trying to find things that look palatable. Many times the answer includes the word(s) 'cake'. Or 'giant cookie'. Or 'fudge sauce'.

Basically, I have been in the mood to whip up desserts. Which is saying something because, as of late, my mood has not involved the desire to do much of anything except lie on the couch and say "Ughhh..." while I sniff through my congested nose. Sorry for that graphic description. Anyhow.

Here is a recipe for a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie that I tried the other day and which turned out remarkably well. I thought for many months now that my oven is cursed because the many types of cookies I've tried to bake in said oven have all turned out less than yummy. The only type that turned out well were the gingersnaps and oh, heaven help me, they were delicious. So, I thought when I decided to make this recipe that it would probably be another disappointment.

I was wrong.

And here you go:

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar (I used dark)

1/2 c. butter, melted & cooled

1 egg

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. vanilla (my vanilla was kind of mixed with some rum extract and WOW it added a nice flavor)

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. chocolate chips (I know I used more than 1/2 c. ..)

Preheat: 350

Cream sugars and butter. Add egg, mix well. Add dry ingredients, mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Line a large (11x17) baking pan with foil. Press dough into a circle.

The original recipe noted that a 9" dough circle should bake into an 11" cookie, but I just pressed it until I thought it was a good thickness.

Top with anything you want, like m&ms, etc., if you decide not to do chocolate chips.

Bake 13-16 minutes or until light golden brown. Let the cookie cool completely on the baking pan. This will help stabilize it so it can be easily lifted.

This was one darn good cookie.

Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

This came from My Kitchen Cafe which consistently has really awesome recipes. These salty/sweet/textured bars are super rich and addictive. Click the link to see her pictures.

Since I am still banned from the grocery store, so I made my own caramel instead of melting cream and store-bought caramels. I think the result is divine.


Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

*Makes 9X13-inch pan of bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup melted butter

14 ounce bag of caramels
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Mix the first six ingredients together and sprinkle half on the bottom of a 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, melt the caramels and whipping cream or milk in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth. When the bars have been removed from the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crust and pour the melted caramel over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the crust over the top and bake in the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling and edges are lightly browned. Cool the bars completely before serving so they can set up properly.