Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

Caleb requested a chocolate chip cookie dough cake for his birthday this year, which gave me the excuse of looking through tons of recipes until I found one that I thought would be approved of by him.  The only thing I wish I would have done differently is let it harden in the freezer longer after I put it together so the ice cream wouldn't have melted so fast.  It is very rich and decadent!!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake
Recipe from Sugar Plum


Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Chocolate Cake Layer
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon1 baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream

1 quart chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, softened

Ganache
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:

To make the chocolate chip cookie layers, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat browned butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator, lightly covered, for 1 hour. (You could speed up this process by placing the dough in the freezer for about 45 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans.

To make the chocolate cake layers, in a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together oil, butter and granulated sugar until well combined and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla and yogurt until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined, about 1-2 minutes.

Divide batter into cake pans. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cakes comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; run a knife around outside edges and invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Butter the cake pans again, and line with parchment or waxed paper circles; butter paper.

Divide cookie dough and pat evenly into pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan before running a knife around outer edges and lifting out paper-lined cookies; remove paper.

Spread the ice cream evenly between cookie and cake layers; freeze for 10 minutes before covering with ganache. Meanwhile, to make the ganache, bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Cool to a good consistency before pouring over ice cream cake.

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

 

 

 

Something that I am really passionate about is crisps, or crumbles.  I. Love. Them.  They make me so very, very happy.  Something I do not love is cobbler.  I don't want that garbage anywhere near me.  Seriously, keep it away.  But back to crisps, ahhh, crisps.   This recipe is so delicious, of course, why wouldn't it be, it's from the beloved Barefoot Contessa!  The woman knows what she's about!  Of course it wouldn't be my very best friend, Apple Crisp, without my other best friend, Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato.  Did I mention I gained 20 pounds the few days this beautiful number was in my home?  Speaking of Talenti, if anyone is blessed enough to have had the Carribean Coconut, please let me know, in detail, how delightful it is.  I have dreams about how amazing it must be.

 

 

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Recipe from The Food Network

 

Ingredients:

 

5 pounds McIntosh apples(I used Honeycrisp) (I'm a rebel)

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

For the topping:

 

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced (My esteemed friend Trevlyn, who first told me about this delicious recipe, says she justs melts the butter to make it easier.  I'm trying that next time, Trevlyn can do no wrong.)

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.  Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.  To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.  Place the crisp on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm. If you have any sanity whatsoever you will serve it with vanilla ice cream.



 

Chocolate Mousse Pie

The kids requested a chocolate pie for Thanksgiving, and I was very happy to oblige them!!  This was was super easy and so delicious!!


Chocolate Mousse Pie
Recipe from Very Best Baking


Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 3/4 cups (16 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until moistened; press onto bottom and up side of pie plate.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up side of crust. Cool to room temperature.  Microwave  2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool to room temperature.  Beat remaining cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.  Microwave  remaining 1/4 cup morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for about 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle chocolate over pie. Llet stand a few minutes before serving.  (I didn't do this very last part, we were in too big of a hurry to eat it!!)

Chicken Corn Chowder

I saw this recipe on the blog 71 Toes last week and knew immediately that I had to make it.  I am so glad I did, it is delicious.  I made a few little changes according to my tastes, you can click through to her original recipe if you would rather make it according to her recipe. So cheesy, so yummy, I love it!!

Chicken Corn Chowder
Recipe adapted from 71Toes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 large cans chicken broth
1 c. milk or cream
2 pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups of frozen corn
1 cup of salsa
1 can (8 oz.) of tomato sauce
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
avocado (optional)
tortilla chips (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbs. olive oil, add broth, milk or cream, cream cheese, corn, salsa, beans, chicken, chili powder and cumin and bring it all to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.   Add the cilantro at the very end of cooking.  Garnish with avocado, chips and shredded cheese if you like.  (I like).  (I really like). 

Knock You Naked Brownies

These were eaten too fast to take a picture.  Just trust me, they are delicious!!  Click through to the link for pictures.


Knock You Naked Brownies
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman


Ingredients:

1 stick butter, melted, plus more for greasing

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 plus 1/2 cup evaporated milk

One 18.5-ounce box German chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 cup finely chopped pecans

60 caramels, unwrapped

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9X9 baking pan.  Begin by pouring 1/3 cup evaporated milk into a bowl with the cake mix. Add the melted butter and the chopped pecans. Mix the ingredients together; it'll be pretty thick!  Divide the dough in half down the middle. Press half of it into the bottom of the prepared pan to make the first brownie layer. Bake until slightly set, 8 to 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside.

While the brownie layer is baking, in a double boiler (or glass bowl set over a bowl of simmering water) combine the caramels and the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Stir occasionally until the caramels are totally melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the first baked layer, spreading so it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top.

Next, on a clean surface or a sheet of waxed paper, press the remaining dough into a square shape slightly smaller than the baking pan. Carefully set it on top of the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool to room temperature. Cover the pan and refrigerate the brownies for several hours to allow them to set.

When you're ready to serve them sprinkle generously with the powdered sugar and cut them into large rectangles before removing from the pan.