Chocolate: The Video

Annabelle Breakey is one of my favorite chocolate food photographers. Recently we had an exchange about her work, and she sent me this video. The Essence of Chocolate.  Just watching this video makes my day!  For more information on Annabelle and her work, go HERE.

Director. Annabelle Breakey
DP/Editor. Jason Mitchell
Production Design. Stacey Ransom
Food Stylist. Heidi Gintner
Production. Purebred

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

I love Whoopie Pies whatever their origin. See my previous post on Whoopie Pies. And, as you know I love Chocolate and Peanut Butter. So what could be better than Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. I really like Martha Stewart's recipe for miniature Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. As always use the very best chocolate, and in this case the best cocoa.

Here's a tip for Presentation: Serve them is on a bed of peanuts. For added crunch, roll them in the peanuts when you pick them up. You can also sprinkle them with confectionary sugar, especially during the holidays!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

For the Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder, not Dutch-process  (I use Ghirardelli)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon sweet butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure Madagascar vanilla extract

For the Filling:
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

Directions

1. Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.

2. Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Or you can use a Whoopie Pie Pan (I have several): Whoopie Pie Pan post

4. Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired. I like this**

5. Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

National Brownie Day: Brownies Recipe Round-Up

Today is National Brownie Day.  I went looking through the past few years of posts here on Dying for Chocolate, and I was surprised by how many recipes I found, so I decided to do a round-up of some of my favorites. Just links, but I know you'll enjoy all the recipes.  Feel free to add any of your own favorites!

Aunt Sylvia's Brownies

Chocolate Beer Brownies

Peppermint Bark Brownies

Killer Kahlua Brownies

Halloween Oreo Brownies

White Chocolate Brownies with Macadamia Nuts

Bonfire Brownies

Double Chocolate Fresh Cherry Brownies

Gravenstein Apple Chocolate Brownies

Bacon Brownies

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Brownies in a Jar


Enjoy your Brownies!!

Frozen Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: Frozen Reese's Banana Pops

If you're like me, you love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The combination of milk chocolate and rich sweet peanut butter can't be beat! I consider Reese's Peanut Butter Cups a comfort food.

I love this vintage ad for Frozen Reese's. Want to take it a step further? Following is a great recipe for Frozen Reese's Banana Pops from Melissa Roberts in Real Simple. Freezing Reese's is a treat in itself!

Frozen Reese's Banana Pops

1. Halve 2 bananas crosswise. Insert a wooden stick into each piece; freeze the bananas and 4 Snack Size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (21 grams each) for 2 hours.
2. Chop the frozen candy. Coat the frozen bananas in 6 ounces melted chocolate; sprinkle with the candy. Freeze on a parchment-lined plate until firm.

OMG! You'll love these!