This recipe makes a huge batch of rich dense brownies!  I like it because it’s versatile too!  You can add just about anything to the batter from chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, peanut butter chips and so on.   It’s perfect for a family or other large gathering!

Recipe

1 pound (4 sticks) butter

1 pound plus 12 ounces semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 extra-large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups organic sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped walnuts if using

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a very large pan double the size of a 9×13 or a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.  Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate in a large sauce pan over medium low heat.  Cool slightly.  In a large electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment mix together the eggs, vanilla and sugar.  Gradually add the chocolate mixture until just combined.  Add 1 cup of flour and baking powder and salt.  With the remaining 1/4 cup flour toss the chocolate chips and fold into the batter with the walnuts if using.  Pour into pan or baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Tap the pan a few times and bake for another 15 minutes until done and a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool, refrigerate and cut before serving.

These makes a very rich treat, but very simple to make!

Recipe

Crust

1/2 pound butter at roomtemperature

1/2 cup organic sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of sea salt

Topping

12 oz. bag dark chocolate chips

12 oz. bag shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper allowing the edges to hang over.  In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugar.  Add flour and salt.  Pat down into the prepared 9×13 pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Pull the crust out and while hot sprinkle half the chocolate chips and then the coconut.  Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and drizzle the sweetened milk over the top.  Bake for another 30 minutes.  Let cool and then remove using the over hung edges of the parchment paper as a sling to pull the bars out of the pan.  Cut into bars and serve.

There aren’t too many things better than this rich dessert!  I love dense rich brownies and with the raspberry ganache on top it is to die for good!

Recipe

Batter

10 ounces bitter or semi sweet chocolate baking chips or bar chopped

3/4 cup butter

1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

5 large eggs

1 cup organic sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan (square edges is best) with foil that overhangs around the edges.  Spray with cooking spray, getting into the corners well.  Set aside.

In a large sauce pan melt the butter and chocolate over low heat until smooth.  Add the jam and whisk until melted.  Cool slightly.

Beat eggs and sugar in an electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment until very thick (about 6 minutes).  Add flour and baking powder into egg mixture and gently fold in the chocolate as well.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Let cool and make the glaze.

Glaze

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup raspberry seedless jam

12 oz. bitter or semi sweet chocolate chips or bar chopped

2 pints fresh raspberries

Over medium heat combine cream and jam.  Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Add the chocolate and allow to melt and whisk until smooth.  Spread over cooled brownies evenly and place one raspberry for each piece you will cut.  Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.  Pull the foil sling out of the pan and cut into pieces just before serving.  These are very rich so be sure to cut them small.  I can get at least 30 out of the pan.

These delicate, but rich cookies are just the right amount of coconut flavor and chocolate!  Dairy free too!

Recipe

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup organic sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the coconut oil and sugars together. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well.  Add the flours, soda and salt until just combined.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.  Place 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto pan with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Remember the movie ‘Matilda’?  This is that chocolate cake!  It will cure any chocolate craving you may have for at least a few days!  I always like to say “much too good for children” when I eat it! 😉 Seriously though, this is the richest, most decadent chocolate cake you will ever eat!

Recipe

Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

2/3 cups butter, softened

3 eggs

1 tablespoon coffee (optional)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.   In a large bowl whisk the flour, cocoa, soda and salt.  In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla, sour cream and coffee if using.  Add flour mixture and then the boiling water.  Mix until just combined.  Bake 30-35 minutes.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Chocolate Mousse

2 cups semi or dark chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups whipping cream, divided

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup coffee

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place the chocolate chips in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, process until finely ground.  In a small pan heat the sugar and 1/3 cup cream over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and cream is just boiling.  With food processor running, pour the cream over the chocolate and process until chocolate is melted.  Add coffee and vanilla.  beat the remaining cream and fold into chocolate mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Slice the two cakes horizontally and place chocolate mousse in between each layer (3 times).  Leave the top to be iced with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment mix the sugar and cocoa.  Add the whipping cream and vanilla and whisk on high until the icing becomes thick.  Spread on the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least one hour.  Can be made a day ahead.

I love summer because of all the good food I get to eat!  Plums, peaches and blueberries make this ‘Barefoot Contessa’ rustic pie heavenly!  You don’t have to be a professional pie maker to wow your guests!

Recipe

Pie Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) cold butter, diced

4-6 tablespoons ice water

Filling

2 pounds firm, ripe peaches, pealed, pitted and sliced

1 pound firm, ripe plums, pitted and sliced

1 pint blueberries

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, diced

In a food processor fitted with a blade pulse the flour, sugar and salt.  Pulse the cold butter until it resembles small peas, 12-15 times.  Slowly add the ice water through the feed tube, pulsing until the dough just comes together.  Roll the dough into a disc shape and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In the meantime prepare the fruit in a large bowl.  Add the sugar, flour, orange zest and juice and gently toss to incorporate.  Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper (do not skip this step).  Roll the pastry out into a large rectangular shape.  Carefully place dough on the pan and then place the fruit mixture in the center of the pie crust leaving a 2-inch border.  Gently wrap the outer edges on the crust over the fruit leaving the top open.

For the topping, use a pastry cutter or fingers to mix the butter, flour, sugar and salt until it resembles a coarse meal.  Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.  Cool and serve warm or room temp with vanilla ice cream.

This cake is a little piece of heaven!  If you love lemon this will be your new favorite dessert!  Use only fresh lemon juice for this recipe, nothing else compares!  Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Recipe

1/2 pound butter at room temperature

2 1/2 cups organic sugar (2 cups goes into the batter)

4 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1/3 cup fresh lemon zest (about 6-8 lemons)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice (1/4 cup juice goes into batter)

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Syrup

1/2 (remaining) cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 (remaining) cup sugar

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350`.  Grease and line the bottom of two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans with parchment paper (don’t skip this step).

Cream butter and sugar in an electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.  With the mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl.  In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the sour cream and vanilla.  Add the flour and sour cream mixtures alternately to the batter beginning and ending with the flour.  Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Turn off the heat.

When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes.  Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.  Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

This recipes comes from Martha Stewart’s Pies and Tarts cookbook.  Its flavorful spice satin filling is a perfect combination with its flaky buttery pie crust!  Serve with whip cream or organic vanilla ice cream,

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Pie Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

2 large egg yolks

2-4 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt.  Add the butter piece by piece and pulse until it resembles coarse meal.  Add yolks and drizzle 2 tablespoons water evenly over mixture.  Pulse until dough just comes together, no more than 30 seconds.  If dough is to dry add another tablespoon water and pulse.  Divide dough in half, shaping each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Chill for 1 hour or up to 2 days.  You can freeze it up 3 months.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round, 1/8-inch thick.   Fir into a 9-inch pie plate.  Trim excess dough flush with rim.  Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork.  Chill until firm for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface roll out the scraps of dough.  Use a 1-inch leaf shaped-cutter, cut out 40 leaves from dough.  Transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Using a paring knife, etch veins in each leaf.  Chill until ready for use.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush one side of each leaf with egg wash.  Arrange leaves, slightly overlapping, around edge of crust, making sure they do not extend over edge, to prevent them from browning too quickly.  Lightly brush bottom of each leaf with egg wash as you work.  Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line pie shell with parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Carefully remove weights and parchment, and continue to bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more.  Let cool on rack and keep oven on.

Pie Filling

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree, canned or fresh

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients.  Pour filling into partially cooked pie shell.  Place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until edges are set but center is still slightly wobbly, 35-40 minutes.  Tranfer plate to a wire rack to cool completely.  Serve with whipped cream.