Month: January 2015

Double Chocolate Banana Bread… And Some News Too

double chocolate banana bread recipe

These days, for some strange reason, I have been craving chocolate like never before. Maybe I am just trying to find energy in all the possible places. Maybe January does this to me. Maybe it’s just hormones that are playing games with me these days (8 months preggers, have I mentioned? Oh, yes… Sorry for being so quiet about it for so long.). 🙂 Well, who knows… Maybe it’s all combined.

So, given the fact stated above, I knew my fate was sealed the moment I saw a recipe for Double Chocolate Banana Bread.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread?

Can a recipe possibly sound any more tempting and delicious?

Without any hesitation I gave this thing a try and what I realized was that I have never ever tasted a banana bread so good and my place has never been filled with a better scent than the one that was coming out of the oven while this chocolatey miracle was baking. Absolutely heartwarmingly amazing!

This recipe is really gorgeous and if you are into chocolate, you must, must, must give it a try…

Enjoy!

With lots of love,
Petra

(This recipe was adapted from www.smittenkitchen.com.)

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Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1 loaf
 
Ingredients
  • 3 bananas (very ripe)
  • ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ cup (145 grams) brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (45 grams) cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
  2. Butter a 9×5-inch (1.9 l) loaf pan or spray it with a nonstick baking spray.
  3. In a larger bowl, mash the bananas.
  4. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the sugar, egg and the vanilla extract.
  5. Place the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flour and cocoa powder in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift over the wet ingredients.
  6. Stir the dry and wet ingredients until just combined.
  7. Stir in the chocolate chunks or chips.
  8. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
  9. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free.
  10. Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert it out onto a cooling rack.
  11. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  12. Enjoy!

 

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New Pattern – The Easiest Crochet Baby Slippers (Age 0-3 Months)

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

Hi friends!

I am stopping by to show you my newest project, the thing that has been keeping me busy for the past few days. It’s baby slippers, designed to fit little feet from 0 to 3 months.

As you can see, I made many. Especially because they are so easy to whip up. And once I made a pair in one color combination, another one popped up in my mind immediately so I just had give that one a try as well. To my astonishment, this process led me to 12 pairs altogether. Haha. I love them all.

If you’d like to make these crocheted slippers too, you can find all the necessary details and step-by-step pictures in my pattern shops here or here.

And here are a few more pictures I took for the inspiration…

 

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

the easiest crochet baby slippers pattern - age 0-3 months

Happy crocheting!

With love,
Petra

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Baked Chocolate Donuts With Chocolate Glaze

baked chocolate donuts with chocolate glaze recipe

I was craving chocolate donuts for a pretty long time. Yesterday I decided to end my painful suffering and and I made these lovely babies.

Mmmmmmm…

 

baked chocolate donuts with chocolate glaze recipe

Let me explain to you really quickly what they are like – these are fingerlicking good… moist… chocolatey… rich… aaaaa-mazing!

Highly recommended! 🙂

 

baked chocolate donuts with chocolate glaze recipe

One is definitely not enough. So worth all the effort.

Enjoy!

Love,
Petra

(This lovely recipe was inspired by www.food-4tots.com and www.onceuponarecipeblog.com.)

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Baked Chocolate Donuts With Chocolate Glaze
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 24 2¾-inch (7 cm) donuts
 
Ingredients
  • for donut batter:
  • 2½ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup (55 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp (150 grams) plain white yogurt
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk
  • 6 tbsp vegetable oil
  • for glaze:
  • 6 tbsp (85 grams) unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 oz (85 grams) dark chocolate, broken into chunks
  • 1¼ cups (145 grams) icing sugar, sifted
  • sprinkles
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
  2. Grease the donut pan with cooking spray or brush with oil.
  3. To make the DONUT BATTER, first, in a small bowl, combine the plain white yogurt, milk and the vegetable oil. Mix well.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  5. In a larger bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the sugar and continue to beat until foamy. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
  6. Add the milk/yogurt/oil mixture and the cocoa mixture to the egg mixture alternately. Mix until the batter is smooth. If you find the batter a bit too dense to pipe, add a little more milk.
  7. Pour the batter into a piping bag.
  8. Fill each donut cavity until about 80% full.
  9. Bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the donut comes out clean.
  10. Let cool completely.
  11. To prepare the GLAZE, combine the butter, milk and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  12. Once the butter has melted, add in the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
  13. Remove from heat and add the icing sugar, stirring until combined.
  14. Dip the cooled doughnuts into the glaze and cover with chocolate sprinkles.
  15. Enjoy!

 

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Vanilla Date Smoothie

vanilla date smoothie recipe

I have to admit, smoothies are one of my most favorite drinks in the whole wide world. They are simply delicious, nourishing and with almost endless combinations of ingredients that can be used to make them, they are always a lot of fun to prepare and serve.

Today, I have a yummy smoothie idea for you. I tried it and loved it to bits. It’s a vanilla date smoothie, a perfect way to sweeten up your life.

The preparation is beyond easy. You only need 5 simple ingredients, which you blend, blend, blend until you reach a thick and smooth consistency. And that’s it.

Enjoy!

This is gooood!!!

With love,
Petra

(This lovely recipe was adapted from www.epicurious.com.)

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Vanilla Date Smoothie
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 cups (1 liter)
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (235 ml) plain white yogurt
  • 1 cup (235 ml) milk
  • 1½ cups (220 grams) pitted dates
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups ice cubes
Instructions
  1. Pour all ingredients in a blender.
  2. Blend until thick and smooth.
  3. Enjoy!
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