TRIPLE CHOCOLATE SCONES: National Scone Day!

Today is National Scone Day. Here's an easy recipe to celebrate: Triple Chocolate Scones. These go very well with a heaping helping of Clotted Cream or Lemon Curd. Whip up a batch today.

Triple Chocolate Scones 

Ingredients
1-3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla
6 Tbsp butter  (cold)
7-8 Tbsp whole milk  (cold)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 Tbsp chopped dark chocolate (or chocolate chips)
Sugar Crystals 

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together dry ingredients in large bowl (not the chocolate chips or chocolate).

Cut butter into dry ingredients and cut into dry mixture until the size of peas.
Add chocolate chips and dark chocolate.

Put vanilla into small bowl and add milk. Pour most of milk mixture into dry mix and stir to moisten. Dough should be moist enough to form a soft ball, but not sticky. If needed, additional milk can be added 1-2 teaspoons at time.

Turn dough onto lightly floured cutting board and press out with hand to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. (makes 10-12 scones or 8-12 wedges) Do not over-knead dough. Use as little flour as possible to keep dough from sticking to board.

Cut into desired shapes and place on lightly greased baking sheet.

Lightly brush tops with milk (or not). Sprinkle with sugar crystals (you can get this from King Arthur Flour or find it in your market in the baking section).
(If using a biscuit cutter or glass, dip the cutting edge in flour first)

Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on size. Start checking at 9 minutes. Do not overbake!

Sprinkle again with large sugar crystals while scones are still hot.

Scones are like biscuits. To get a tender, flaky scone, dough should be handled as little as possible, and you should always use cold butter and cold milk.

Illustration: Beryl Cook--one of my favorite quirky artists!

CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCUITS: Biscuit Day!

Today is National Biscuit Day. Here's a fabulous Retro Ad for Bisquick. There are '6 things you and Bisquick can do with biscuits.' What's missing? Chocolate Chip Biscuits! 

The recipe below does not require Bisquick. You'll be making everything from scratch. Easy and fun! But, if you're using Bisquick, just throw in some chocolate chips!

CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCUITS

Ingredients
3 Tbsp sugar
2 cups self-rising flour  (*see below for easy substitute)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup good quality dark mini-chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.
Combine flour and 1 Tbsp sugar in large bowl.
Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender until crumbly.
Add buttermilk and fold in chocolate chips. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (do not overstir). Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead 3 times.
Pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness
Cut with 2-1/4-inch round cutter.
Place biscuits on baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes or until golden.
Take out and while still warm, quickly brush biscuits with 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

*Self Rising Flour Substitute:
In a separate container:
For each cup of all-purpose flour (level measure), add 1- 1/4 tsp baking powder and a 1/4 tsp salt. Then re-measure what you need (2 cups for this recipe)*

THE CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIE: Retro Ad with Recipe

As I always say, you can never have too many cookie recipes, so here's one more for your file: Hershey's Easy-Does-It Recipe #6 for The Chewy Chocolate Cookie (1983). This recipe calls for either butter or margarine, but please use butter. The cookies will taste so much better! 

CHOCOLATE CHERRY PUDDING: Cherry Dessert Day!

Today is National Cherry Dessert Day, so, of course, I went to my favorite Cherry Preserves site: Bonne Maman! And what did I find? A fabulous recipe for Chocolate Cherry Pudding! You're going to love this for dessert today.. or any day!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY PUDDING

Ingredients 

2 cups Whole Milk 

3 oz Bittersweet Chocolate 

½ cup Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves (remove large cherry pieces, and set aside) 

1/3 cup Sugar 

1 Tbsp Cornstarch 

5 Egg Yolks beaten 

⅛ tsp pure Vanilla Extract 

¼ tsp Salt 4-6 

Chocolate Wafers 

Whipped Cream

Directions

Melt chocolate in double boiler over medium high heat. In small saucepan, heat 5 Tablespoons of Bonne Maman Cherry preserves (with the large pieces of cherries set aside) over low heat. In medium saucepan, warm the milk until it just simmers, then remove from heat. In large bowl, mix together  sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Slowly pour warm milk into egg mixture, whisking continuously, to temper eggs. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat until mixture coats back of a spoon, about 4-5 minutes.

Pour melted chocolate into egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Slowly add cherry preserves liquid and whisk until incorporated and smooth.

At bottom of serving platter or dish, place layer of chocolate wafers (either whole, or cut in half as necessary to fit the bottom of dish). Add  layer ofremaining Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves to coat the wafers. Pour a layer of pudding into dish to fill almost to top, and refrigerate until set. 

When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and a reserved cherry.