Mini Chocolate Waffles

Sorry about the hiatus, been busy since I got a job!  Yeah, that's been great, and as the weather has cooled down, I've felt like getting back into my kitchen and making yummy stuff.

Today's goodies are mini-chocolate waffles with a dark chocolate glaze.

Mini Chocolate Waffles
Adapted from a recipe in Martha Stewart's Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
8 Tbsps. of unsalted butter
1/2 c. applesauce
4 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

Dark Chocolate Glaze

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

For the waffles:

Melt chocolate, butter and applesauce in saucepan over low heat.

Mix eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar in large bowl of stand mixer, mix for 4-5 minutes until thick and pale yellow.  Mix in chocolate mixture, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder and flour.

Heat waffle iron until hot (with my waffle iron, I use the 6th highest out of 7 settings).  Place 1 Tbsp. batter onto center of each waffle iron square and cook until your waffle iron beeps.

Transfer to wire rack or paper towels to let cool.

For the glaze:

Melt butter, then add remaining ingredients.  Stir until smooth.

Once the waffles have cooled, dip one side halfway into the glaze.  Just the raised edges of the waffles should be covered in glaze.

These are super quick to make and come out nice and cakey.  My favorite adjective in a cookie recipe, if I do say so.

Photo-a-day

Today, my sister and I made this cake.

It was almost perfect, but I think we messed up our water bath.  We placed the pan directly in the water and I think it's supposed to be placed directly above the water on a rack.  The bottom turned out denser and the top was light and airy perfection.  Definitely going to try again.

Handmade: Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake

I started out with a rich Devil's Food Cake recipe from Baked Explorations, but I baked it in a sheet pan lined with parchment, so the cooking time went down to 20 minutes.  I'm not going to rewrite their recipe, because I didn't change anything, but you should get their book.  It's definitely my favorite baking book.

Then I cut out the layers (3-6" layers and 3-3" layers) and started carefully removing the excess cake (to be used later, but you can nibble on a bit now).

I just guessed at the frosting, but I'm sure it's been done before and it came out tasting exactly like the inside of a Reese's Pieces.

1/2 c. natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip the heck out of it, until it's light and fluffy.

Slowly add in 2 c. of powdered sugar, it'll be too dry and get kind of crumbly.

Add in milk 1 tbsp. at a time, until it's perfect (I think I used 2-ish).

Then I dumped in 1/3 c. of mini chocolate chips and started assembling.

Cake, icing, cake, icing, dowels, stacking... whew, almost done.

The small layers

The big layers

Then I made cake balls with the remaining cake and icing, and a little extra peanut butter because I was out of icing.

I dipped them in chocolate and let them set up and added a little gold luster dust.

I stuck in the varied size balls at various heights and called this cake done.  I really wish I had some more of it right now.

My First Time: Whoopie Pies

T bought me Baked Explorations recently, there might have been some heavy hinting on my part, but I'm still grateful.  It's fantastic, the photography is beautiful, the graphic design is cool and the recipes are delectable.

I was immediately drawn to the two whoopie pie recipes.  I had never made whoopie pies and I felt it was time to see what all the fuss was about.

I used the Chocolate Whoopie Pies recipe (p. 108) for the cookie portion and for the filling I used the cream cheese recipe from the Red Velvet Whoopie Pies (p. 117).

Chocolate Whoopie Pies
-adapted from Baked Explorations.

3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

In large bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda.

In another large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and coffee until cocoa is dissolved.

In a medium bowl, stir the sugars and oil together.  Add to the cocoa mixture and whisk until combined.  Add the egg, vanilla and buttermilk, whisk until smooth.

Fold dry ingredients into the wet.

Drop by large rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cookies are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cookies completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies (2 dozen whoopie pies).

Cream Cheese Filling
-adapted from Baked Explorations

3 cups powdered sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
food coloring (optional)

Cream butter and cream cheese together.  Add vanilla, salt and food coloring.  Add sifted powdered sugar in batches until filling reaches desired consistency.  I made these for Halloween (just felt a need to explain the haz mat suit orange).

Assemble the pies.  I started out by matching up cookies that were similar size and shape so I wasn't left with a weirdly paired pie at the end.  Then scoop on some filling and sandwich them up.  Mmmmm.

These cakey cookies came out great, they held together well, but were still soft and delicious.  I tend to hate coffee in desserts, but the coffee in this recipe just makes the chocolate better, no more no less.  Paired with cream cheese frosting (always a winner) these pies just couldn't be beat.  I will have to make these again as soon as I have a chance to give them away, or else I would absolutely eat them all.

Oh, I wish I could eat my screen right now.

Miraculously, these lasted a couple of days.  They were still fantastic the next day, but the day after that, they were on their way out, still good, but not as good.  So eat 'em quick, tough, I know.