chocolate – Page 8 – Zoom Yummy – Crochet, Food, Photography

Chocolate Pretzels

November 17, 2009 by zoomyummy

I have experimented a bit today …

The inspiration to make these cookies comes from Martha’s Chocolate Pretzels but I have changed her recipe quite a lot.

These pretzels taste like coffee, chocolate and cinnamon all together.

Quite pleasing combination, hm?

~~~

To make these lovely pretzels you need:

1/4 cup (20 grams) cocoa

4 teaspoons instant coffee

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

10 tablespoons boiling water

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cup (220 grams) all-purpose flour

confectioner’s sugar to sprinkle on top

~~~

1. In a small bowl, mix together the instant coffee, cocoa and cinnamon.

(OK, you are right, there’s no cinnamon in the bowl. My brain just doesn’t work so well in the morning and I tend to forget things. I added the cinnamon as the last step.)

2. Pour the boiling water into the bowl and stir thoroughly. Set aside.

3. Put the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer.

Mix until creamy.

Then add the egg, vanilla extract and salt and mix again.

4. Add the cocoa-coffee-cinnamon mixture and beat slightly.

5. Gradually add flour, and mix until a smooth dough forms.

6. Turn out on a lightly floured counter and form a ball.

Wrap in foil and refrigerate for about one hour.

7. Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C).

8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

9. Shape the dough into a log and cut it into 18 equal pieces.

Form a small ball from each piece.

Shape the balls into 12-inch-long (30 cm) ropes.

10. Twist each rope into a pretzel shape (I recommend doing this on the baking sheet because it might get a bit awkward to transfer them onto the sheet).

11. Some granulated sugar on top. Here we go…

Bake for 10 minutes.

12. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

If you’d like your cookies a bit more festive you can sprinkle them with some confectioner’s sugar.

These cute and delicious pretzels can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Total445
2
11
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432
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St. Martin’s Cake

November 12, 2009 by zoomyummy

This is a delicious cake to welcome the winter season with!

The texture of the dough works perfectly with the freshness of the jam filling and the richness of the buttery chocolate frosting.

You will be amazed by its wonderful taste!

~~~

To make the cake you need:

2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 tablespoons (85 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

5 ounces (150 grams) semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons cocoa

For the filling you need:

1 1/2 cups (375 grams) jam (raspberry or strawberry or forest fruit)

For the frosting you need:

6 ounces (180 grams) semi-sweet chocolate

6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsweetened butter

1 cup (115 grams) confectioner’s (or powdered) sugar, sifted

7 teaspoons milk

~~~

1. Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C).

2. Grease and flour your 9 inch (23 cm) spring form pan.

3. Now we mix our dry ingredients – the flour, cocoa and baking powder.

Set the bowl aside.

4. In the bowl of your electric mixer whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes).

5. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract.

6. Place a small bowl over a pan with simmering water and melt the chocolate.

7. Add the melted chocolate to the batter and beat shortly.

8. Add the flour mixture and beat again.

9. Whip the egg whites and add them to the batter.

10. Add the whipped egg whites and fold until smooth.

11. Fill the spring form pan with the batter and spread it evenly.

Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes.

12. When baked, remove from the oven and let cool.

When the cake’s cooled, remove it from the pan and cut into two halves.

13. Spread one half of the jam over the bottom layer of the cake.

Place the second layer on top of the first and cover the whole cake with the rest of the jam.

14. Now we are going to prepare the chocolate frosting.

Melt the butter and chocolate over simmering water.

15. When nicely melted, add the sifted sugar and the milk and whisk together.

16. Spread the frosting over the whole cake.

You can also sprinkle a little cocoa over the top.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Enjoy!

Total18
2
2
0
14
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