Taza 5 Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Since there's always chocolate at my house, I have no excuse for not baking a chocolate cake.. but suppose I don't really want to make an entire cake. Suppose it's just me? 5 Minute Cake in a Mug to the Rescue. I've posted other recipes for the 5 Minute Cake in a Mug, but this recipe from Taza, my favorite daily chocolate, is exceptional. Well, Taza Chocolate is exceptional! I have made this with the Taza Chocolate Mexicano (70% dark), but for variety, you could use the Taza Chiptole Chocolate or the Taza Orange Mexicano disc. Whichever you choose, you'll end up with the perfect single serving cake!

Recipe from the Taza Recipe Library.

Taza 5 Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Serves 1
Active time 3 minutes
Total time 3 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sweet butter
1 disc Taza Chocolate Mexicano, broken into several pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unsweetened Dark cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
In large mug place butter and chocolate and microwave for 45 seconds.
In separate bowl whisk together sugar, egg, cocoa, salt, flour, and baking powder until smooth, then add to mug and whisk until fully incorporated.
Microwave on high for 1 minute, allow to cool for a few seconds, and eat!

BLACK RUSSIAN TRUFFLES

Today is National Vodka Day. There are some wonderful Chocolate Vodkas out there. You can always make yourself a Chocolate Vodka Martini or a Chocolate Vodka Cake, but I'm a huge fan of Truffles. I've posted this recipe before, but it's worth another post! You'll love these truffles.

This is an easy recipe for Black Russian Truffles. A Black Russian is a cocktail made with vodka and coffee liqueur (three parts vodka to two parts coffee liqueur, or five parts vodka to two parts coffee liqueur). I love Kahlua, so that would be my coffee liqueur of choice in the following recipe.

BLACK RUSSIAN TRUFFLES

8 ounces DARK (70-85% cacao) chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sweet butter
3 1/2 tablespoons Kahlua
1 1/2 tablespoons Vodka
1 1/2 cups DARK cocoa  (or espresso powder or toasted walnuts)

Directions:
Melt chocolate in double boiler or in saucepan on top of another saucepan of simmering water.
Heat cream and butter together in microwave or in pot (don't scorch). Remove from heat and pour over melted chocolate. Using rubber spatula, stir chocolate and cream/butter mixture gently until smooth.
Add Kahlua and vodka. Stir until blended.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours to overnight.
Shape chocolate into 1-inch balls using melon baller or small ice cream scoop or two spoons.
Roll in cocoa (or pulverized espresso beans or toasted walnuts)
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Serve at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE COVERED APPLES

October is Apple Month! Although many people like caramel covered apples this month, especially for Halloween, I'm more of a chocolate covered Apple sort of person! What could be better? Tart apples enrobed in a covering of sweet dark chocolate, and maybe an extra coating of crunchy chopped nuts. Oh yes!

So here for the October Apple Month celebration is a recipe for Chocolate Covered Apples. Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Apples

Ingredients
6 firm Gravenstein Apples (or medium sized Fuji or Granny Smith)
6 sturdy lollipop/popsicle sticks
10 ounces Dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup nuts, chopped coursely (optional.. but great for additional crunch and texture)*
Waxed paper

Directions
Twist off stems of apples, and insert sticks into apple cores.
Place apples in refrigerator while preparing chocolate.
Melt chocolate in double boiler or saucepan over saucepan (I use a metal bowl over simmering water for this recipe, so it's easy to dip and roll the apple in the same bowl)
Dip apple into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Roll around in chocolate, turning with stick, until tentire apple (or 3/4 way up) is coated.
Optional: Put Nuts into separate bowl and roll apple until completely covered in nuts.
Place chocolate/nut coated apples on cookie sheet lined with wax paper, standing upright.
Refrigerate 25 minutes or until chocolate is set.

Retro Chocolate Cake-Cookies Recipe and Ad!

Today is National Homemade Cookies Day! What a great way to start October. So here's a Vintage Ad & Recipe from Baker's Chocolate for Chocolate Cake-Cookies from 1941.There are three variations on these 'Cake-Cookies," too... so try them all!

Mother calls them "easy to make".. father calls them "easy to take"...and the youngsters call them "super duper"..