On the Twelfth Day of Cookies...

Sugar Cookies! You can't have Christmas without Sugar Cookies!

I sprinkled them with large sugar crystals for that extra sparkle :)

I hope you enjoyed the Twelve Days of Cookies! Have a WONDERFUL Christmas!

Sugar Cookies-
3/4 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp. Lemon Extract
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

Mix butter, sugar, eggs, and flavoring thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping or sifting. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together; blend in. Chill at least 1 hour. Roll, cut and bake at 400 degrees. Bake for 6-8 minutes.

Sugar Cookie Icing-
2 C. Sifted Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 T. Cream (add more or less to desired consistency)

Blend sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add cream to make it easy to spread. Tint with a few drops of food coloring. Spread on cookies.

On the Eleventh Day of Cookies...

Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies! This is for all of the Nutella fans! This is a third variation of the chocolate decadence cookies. In the cookies are chopped hazelnuts, and the cookies are filled with creamy Nutella... mmmmmm! Also...

Peanut Butter Thumbprints! How can you go wrong with the classic peanut butter and chocolate combination? You just can't! This is the fourth variation of the chocolate decadence cookie recipe. Recipes with variations are so nice for Christmas baking, you get 5 cookies out of this recipe!

Just fill a small plastic bag with peanut butter, snip the corner and fill the little cookies.

Here they are ready to bake.

Here are a few types of the cookies, the plain ones in the back are the basic recipe and delicious!

Make all of the variations or pick your favorite one!

Chocolate Decadence Cookies-

Makes about 40 cookies
Time 30 minutes, plus chilling time

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, such as Guittard, chopped (I used Toll House Bittersweet Chips and they worked really well)
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, into chunks
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1. Put chocolates and butter in a medium metal bowl and set over a pan filled with 1 in. simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and sugar, mixing until combined. Then whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.
2. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tbsp. portions of dough, rolling each into a ball, and put onto sheets 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until they no longer look wet on top, about 8 minutes ( a few more minutes for me ). Let cool on baking sheets.

Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies-
Prepare Chocolate Decadence Cookies (recipe precedes), mixing 1 cup chopped hazelnuts into dough in step 1. Continue with step 2, using your palm to press dough balls into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Bake as directed and let cool. Spread the flat side of 1 cookie with about 1 Tbsp. Nutella and sandwich with another cookie. Makes 20.

Peanut butter Thumbprint Cookies-
Prepare Chocolate Decadence Cookies (recipe precedes), through step 1. Continue with step 2, forming cookies into balls and setting on prepared baking sheets. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie ball, making a small well. Fill a resealable plastic bag with about 1/2 cup peanut butter. With scissors, snip off 1 corner of bag; squeeze about 1/2 tsp. peanut butter from bag into each well. Bake as directed. Makes 40.

On the Tenth Day of Cookies...

Lemon Thumbprints! They're such cheerful little cookies, like little rays of sunshine and just right for lemon lovers!

Mmmm... lemon.

These are raspberry thumbprints. I used store bought raspberry jam; they're a great contrast to the lemon.

Here they are ready to go in the oven. I used the end of a wooden spoon to make the little "wells" for the filling.

Enjoy these sweet little cookies!

Lemon Poppy Seed Thumbprints (I decided to leave out the poppy seeds)-

For the Curd-

Heat:

6 T. fresh lemon juice, strained

2 T. unsalted butter

Minced zest of 1 lemon

Whisk Together; Add:

2/3 cup sugar

2 T. cornstarch

Pinch of Salt

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Cookies

Cream-

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Add:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 T. poppy seeds (I left these out)

Dust:

with powdered sugar

(Raspberry Jam if you like)

Heat lemon juice, butter, and zest for the curd in a saucepan over medium until butter melts. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a blowl. Add eggs and yolks; whisk until smooth. Gradually add warm juice mixture, whisking constantly; pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat 5-8 minutes, or until curd is thick, bubbly, and begins to turn bright yellow and opaque. Stir often with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching, mixture will be thick. (To cook the starchiness out of the cornstarch and ensure the curd will be thick enough to pipe, be sure to cook the curd until stiff.) Off heat, stir in the vanilla.

Transfer the curd to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming; refrigerate until cold. (Curd may be made and chilled up to 2 days ahead.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla for the cookies in a bowl with a mixer until light.

Add flour and poppy seeds, and blend just until incorporated.

Pack a tablespoon measure with dough and shape into a 1" ball, pressing and smoothing it to eliminate cracks. Arrange balls on prepared baking sheets 2 "apart and make a 1/2" deep indentation in each one using a rounded handle of a wooden spoon. Bake 14-16 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 mintues, then transfer to a rack.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a small star tip with the cooled curd. Pipe a small amount of curd into each indentation in the cookies. You can also just spoon a dollop of the curd on the cookie.

Dust cookies with powdered sugar before serving.

On the Ninth Day of Cookies...

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies! And they look so "Christmas-y"! This is a variation of the Chocolate Decadence Cookie.

For the crushed candy canes, just put them in a bag and smash away.

When you get the pieces small enough put them in a bowl to roll the filled cookies in.

So cute!

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies-

Chocolate Decadence Cookies-

Makes about 40 cookies
Time 30 minutes, plus chilling time

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, such as Guittard, chopped (I used Toll House Bittersweet Chips and they worked really well)
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, into chunks
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

(3 cups powdered sugar)
(4 T. milk)
(3/4 tsp. peppermint extract)

(For this variation- Prepare Chocolate Decadence Cookies through step 1. Continue with step 2, using your palm to press dough balls into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Bake as directed and let cool. In a bowl, mix 3 cups powdered sugar, 4 Tbsp. milk, and 3/4 tsp. peppermint extract. Spread 1 heaping tsp. peppermint icing onto the flat side of 1 cookie. Top with flat side of a second cookie to form a sandwich, pressing together to squeeze filling to the edge. Roll edge of cookie in crushed and sifted candy canes. Makes 20.)


1. Put chocolates and butter in a medium metal bowl and set over a pan filled with 1 in. simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and sugar, mixing until combined. Then whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.
2. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tbsp. portions of dough, rolling each into a ball, and put onto sheets 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until they no longer look wet on top, about 8 minutes ( a few more minutes for me ). Let cool on baking sheets.

On the Eighth Day of Cookies...

Double Chocolate Decadence Cookies! These cookies are Money! As my brother would say :)  Truly there are no words! Except... yummmmmmmm. You must make them!

It's another amazing recipe from this December's issue of Sunset Magazine. There are four variations to this recipe, which I'm going to use for the next few "Days of Cookies". They are made with melted bittersweet chocolate instead of cocoa which gives them a rich, true chocolatey flavor. They also have white chocolate chips. This is a recipe for a lifetime!

Chocolate Decadence Cookies-

Makes about 40 cookies

Time 30 minutes, plus chilling time

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, such as Guittard, chopped (I used Toll House Bittersweet Chips and they worked really well)

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter, into chunks

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

(1 cup white chocolate chips for this variation.)

(For this variation: prepare Chocolate Decadence Cookies, chilling dough 30 minutes in step 1, then mixing 1 cup white chocolate chips into dough. Chill dough another 1 1/2 hours. Continue with step 2, forming and baking cookies as directed. Makes 40.)

1. Put chocolates and butter in a medium metal bowl and set over a pan filled with 1 in. simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and sugar, mixing until combined. Then whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.

2. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tbsp. portions of dough, rolling each into a ball, and put onto sheets 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until they no longer look wet on top, about 8 minutes ( a few more minutes for me ). Let cool on baking sheets.

On the Seventh Day of Cookies...

Hawaiian Wedding Cakes! These aren't your ordinary wedding cake cookies, they have a taste of the tropics in them! In the cookie dough there are chopped macadamia nuts, toasted sweet coconut, and green specks of  fresh lime zest. So good!

This is another recipe from Cuisine at Home, Holiday Cookies. However I can't remember what year I bought it, possibly 2008. Here are the cookies before they are popped in the oven and rolled in powdered sugar.

I love the tropical twist on these traditional cookies, enjoy them!

Hawaiian Wedding Cakes-

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. table salt

Minced zest of 1 lime

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted (to toast: spread out coconut on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 5 minutes for me, but 10-15 minutes in the recipe)

Juice of 1/2 lime

2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, salt, and lime zest with a  mixer until light.

Add flour, nuts, coconut, and lime juice; mix with a spoon just until incorporated.

Shape dough into 1 1/2" balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure. Arrange on baking sheets about 2" apart, and bake until set and golden on the bottom, 15-18 minutes. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes.

Roll cookies in powdered sugar while hot; transfer to a cooling rack lined with parchment paper or paper towels (this makes for easy cleanup). When cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar again, then store in single layers in airtight containers.

*Freeze for up to 1 month

*Can be doubled

On the Sixth Day of Cookies...

Rocky Road Brownies! This recipe is from Cuisine at Home. Watch out, they're very rich, and gooey and delicious!

Have a glass of milk ready!

Rocky Road Brownies-

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp.espresso powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. table salt
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Melt butter and cocoa together in a bowl in the microwave at High power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in the sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then add the flour, baking powder, and salt; mix until well combined. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes, or just until brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Sprinkle marshmallows, almonds, and choloclate chips on hot brownies. Heat broiler to Low and adjust rack so it's 8" from the element. Broil brownies just until marshmallows turn golden, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from oven, let cool 20 minutes, then refrigerate until cold.
To cut, loosen brownies from the sides of the pan using a bench knife coated with nonstick spray. Lift the brownies out of the pan and cut with a long, sharp knife.

On the Fifth Day of Cookies...

Butterscotch Chip Spice Cookies! This recipe is from Cuisine at Home. Before baking you roll each cookie in powdered sugar which gives it that sugar dusted look. I also decided to add white chocolate chips along with the butterscotch chips. These are wonderful cookies and a must bake!

Happy Baking!

Ingredients-

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. table salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (1 cup)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

12 oz. butterscotch chips (or part white chocolate chips)

Powdered sugar to roll cookies in

Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then add the flour mixture. Mix in the flour mixture just until blended. Do not overmix or cookies could become tough.

Fold in the butterscotch chips, then cover and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 2 inch balls using a #40 cookie scoop or tablespoon.

Roll balls of dough in powdered sugar and arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until golden and just set. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

On the Fourth Day of Cookies...

Lemon Rosemary Buttons! And they are cute as buttons! This recipe is also from Sunset Magazine. They are buttery and crumbly and the icing is soooo delicious! I wasn't sure what to make of eating the rosemary sprig but it added the perfect touch and wasn't "woody" like I was afraid of. You can always leave it out too, there is still rosemary in the cookie dough.

Here's the recipe!

Lemon Rosemary Buttons-

2 cups flour

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 lemons

Fresh Rosemary

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, butter, granulated sugar,  salt, zest of one lemon and 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed until just blended. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is no longer crumbly and just comes together.

2. Form dough into a disk; chill 30 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough 1/2 in. thick. Cut dough into circles with a 1 1/2 in cookie cutter. Arrange cookies 1 in. apart on baking sheets and chill 15 minutes. Bake until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice and the finely grated lemon zest of 1 lemon. Sppon 1/2 tsp. glace over each cooled cookie, spreading with back of spoon, and press 1 rosemary sprig into glaze. Makes 32.

On the Third Day of Cookies...

Filled Honey Lace Crisps! These cookies are so exotic!

They look so impressive, and they are sooo easy. I love it when it works out that way! These would look very pretty next to a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This recipe is from Sunset Magazine, the current December issue. After I had started making these I noticed that they had highlighted the honey  I randomly chose at the Farmer's Market. I was so excited! I had accidently picked their favorite honey :)

I love buying honey at Farmer's Markets; I love honey period!

Here they are just out of the oven, looking very unimpressive.    Once they cool for a few minutes they are peeled off the pan and shaped while they are still warm and pliable. Now that I think about it, you can really get "artsy" with these before they cool!
This recipe is so easy, especially if you follow the recipe! I accidently used a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon to pour the cookie batter on the pan... I ended up having a huge cookie covering the whole pan... but it was still pliable... that could have made an awesome centerpiece to  a dessert table! Next time :)

Here is one cooling on the rolling pin, and the others were wrapped around a wooden spoon for a tight curl.

Here are the rolled up crisps ready to be filled or just eaten as they are :)

Sunset gave a recipe for orange whipped cream. Fresh whipped cream is so delicious but not very stable. I had a few cheeses that I wanted to try. I bought mascarpone, creme fraiche, and whipped cream cheese. I added powdered sugar and the zest of a tangerine to each. And the winner was... all of them! Each was good on its own, but all together they were just the right texture and taste. It is such a good filling, I'm going to have to find a use for it in future recipes for sure. It would be so great in a dessert crepe!

Just the aroma of basil, tangerine, dark chocolate and honey all together make these worth it!

In the spirit of honey and farmer's markets... here's a picture of tomatoes, basil and fresh mozarella from the market. In this picture I used balsamic vinegar and olive oil, but my favorite is balsamic sweetened with honey... so good!

Honey Lace Crisps- Sunset Magazine

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt butter with honey over medium heat. Add sugar and salt and whisk until well combined. Add flour and continue to whisk until no lumps remain. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. Line 2 flat rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon 1 heaping tsp. batter onto sheets about 4 inches apart (they will spread a lot) .
3. Bake until dark golden brown and small holes appear throughout, 10-12 minutes. Keep oven on. Let cool on tray until starting to firm up, 2-3 minutes. While cookies cool, use a paring knife to separate any cookies that have melted together and to shape each into a circle. Working in batches of 3 or 4, carefully peel cookies off paper and lay over a rolling pin. Let cool on pin until completely crisp, about 3 minutes. If cookies firm up before you can shape them, put baking sheet back in the oven to warm slightly, about 1 minute.
Make Ahead: upto 1 day; store airtight.

Orange Cream-Filled Honey Crisps-

( Instead, I used equal parts of mascarpone, creme fraiche, and whipped cream cheese. I added powdered sugar to taste as well as tangerine zest.)

Prepare Honey Lace Crisps through step 3, forming cookies into a small cylinder shape around the handle of a wooden spoon and holding until firm ( a few seconds ); slide off when cool. Whisk together 2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and finely grated zest of one orange until firm peaks form. Fill a large resealable plastic bag with cream, then snip a 1/4 inch hole in one corner. Pipe cream into cookie cylinder from each end. Serve immediately.

On the Second Day of Cookies...

Chocolate-Glazed Toffee Bars! This delicious recipe is from Joy of Cooking.

Here they are before I drizzled chocolate over them and cut them.

They're so nutty and delicious! I had just bought some orange blossom honey at the farmer's market that worked perfectly. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Glazed Toffee Bars- Joy of Cooking

The recipe looks a little longer and more complicated then it actually is; they didn't take too long to make :)

Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan. (I also laid an 8x8 inch piece of parchment on the bottom of the pan.)

Whisk together thoroughly:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 T. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

Sprinkle over the top:

4 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Sprinkle over the top and stir in to blend:

2 tsp. milk

Knead until the milk is distributed and the particles begin to hold together. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two more milk, until the mixture holds together but is not wet. (Alternatively, in a food processor, process the dry ingredients and butter in on/off pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; be careful not to overprocess. A bit at a time, add the milk, and process in on /off pulses until the particles begin to hold together; if necessary, add just enough additional milk so the mixture holds together but is not wet. ) Firmly press the dough into the pan to form a smooth, even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake the chilled dough for 10 minutes; set aside to cool slightly. Toast, stirring occasionally in a baking pan, until very lightly browned, 5-8 minutes:

1 1 /2 cups chopped pecan (I used half pecans and half almonds)

Set aside to cool. Combine in a medium, heavy saucepan and, stirring frequently, bring to a boil over medium heat:

5 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 T. clover or other mild honey

1 T. milk

1/8 tsp. salt

Boil the mixture, uncovered, for 3 minutes; remove from the heat. Stir in the toasted pecans along with:

1 tsp. vanilla

Spread the mixture evenly over the baked layer. Bake until the crumb mixture is bubbly, golden brown, and just slightly darker at the edges, 17-20 minutes. Remove the pan to a rack to cool slightly. (I let it cool completely and then turned it out of the pan and just drizzled melted chocolate over the top instead of the following steps.) Sprinle over the top:

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Let stand for several minutes until the chocolate chips partially melt, then smooth across the surface with a table knife to partially spread the chocolate. (The surface should not be completely covered with chocolate.)

Sprinkle over the top:

2 T. finely chopped pecans

Let the chocolate cool until thickened but still slightly soft, then cut into bars; let cool completely before lifting the bars from the pan. Retrace the cuts to separate the bars, if necessary.

The Twelve Days of Cookies! On the First Day of Cookies...

Fresh Ginger Cookies! These are a favorite of mine and they are from Fine Cooking. They have a crisp edge and soft center. They are great with a hot cup of coffee or tea!

Here is the recipe... Enjoy!

Ingredients-

12 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. table salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Granulated sugar for dipping

This recipe works best using a mixer fitted with a paddle, but you can use a regular mixer or a wooden spoon. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, molasses, and ginger and mix a little more until blended. Sift together the dry ingredients, add them to the mixture, and continue mixing until a smooth dough is formed. If the dough seems very soft at this point, put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Turn the dough out of the bowl and divide it into about 36 marble-size balls (I made them regular cookie size). Roll the balls in the sugar (I wait until the cookies are already flattened to cover them in sugar, I think they "sparkle" a little more), and place them on non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly with you fingers. (I flatten the cookies between the backs of two plates with parchment paper on both sides of the cookie, cover them is sugar, and then lay them onto the covered baking sheet). Bake in the heated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely, then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

All Aboard!

A cake made for the train park! This was a marble cake with classic buttercream, and some skittles in the back for the birthday girl! The rocks were little edible candies from the local cake supply store.

Kids love to snack from the caboose until it's time to cut the cake :)

After I was finished, a certain someone snuck into the kitchen and took the left over icing off the counter... she was very quiet and suuuuper sneaky!

Chocolate Bread Pudding!

Oh my! This one is for chocolate lovers! This recipe is from Cuisine at Home. It is very rich and very moist. Don't let the words "bread pudding" scare you away; it is delicious! I drizzled chocolate sauce over it and topped it with whipped cream and raspberries. Vanilla ice cream is great with it also. However it is wonderful without anything; it stands very well on its own!

Thick Texas Toast gives the cake just the right texture.

Here it is, so "chocolatey" and ready to go into the oven.

And there you have it!

Chocolate Bread Pudding- Cuisine at Home

Melt-

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed

Whisk Together; Pour Over-

2 cups whole or 2 % milk

3 eggs

2 T. vanilla extract

2 t. instant espresso powder

1/2 t. table salt

13 slices Texas toast, staled and cut into 1" cubes ( I didn't have staled bread so I toasted the bread lightly in the toaster oven)

Fold in-

Chocolate mixture

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; coat a 9" springform pan with 1 T. softened unsalted butter.

Melt chocolate chips with the sugar and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until chips are smooth, about 8 minutes.

Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, espresso, and salt together and pour over bread cubes. Toss well so the bread absorbs most of the liquid and begins to lose its shape.

Fold the melted chocolate into the bread mixture, then transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the center springs back when gently pressed. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, remove the sides of the pan, and slice.