Nutella Brownie Muffins: World Nutella Day

Today is World Nutella Day. According to the World Nutella website, "Nutella is more than just a “chocolaty hazelnut spread,” it is a way of life." Whether or not you believe that, be sure and check the World Nutella Day website for recipes and links to blogs and Facebook. Follow Twitterstream @nutelladay for updates.

Since it's the weekend, you might want to take a look at my post last year for Stuffed Challah Nutella French Toast. Perfect way to start this day!

Here's a great easy recipe for Nutella Brownie Muffins adapted from Sunset Magazine.

NUTELLA BROWNIE MUFFINS

Ingredients
About 1/2 cup butter
2 ounces unsweetened or very dark (85-90% cacao) chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup Nutella

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter 8 muffin cups.
2. Microwave 1/2 cup butter in a heatproof bowl to melt. Add chocolate, stirring until melted, then add sugar and cocoa and stir to blend. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, and salt. Add flour and stir until smooth. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups.
3. Using a small spoon, make a depression in each portion of batter 1 in. wide and 1/2 in. deep. Spoon 1 tbsp. nutella spread into each.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into brownie part comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool on a rack about 10 minutes. Using a small metal spatula, loosen brownies from pans, move to rack, and cool completely.

Muffin Photo: Thomas J. Storey for Sunset

Super Bowl Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

Planning a Super Bowl Party? You'll want to get in a lot of beer and chocolate! How about in one Super Bowl dish? Celebrations, a party planning website, recommends Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes: Beer & Chocolate!  I've posted recipes for Guinness Cakes and Brownies, usually around St. Patrick's Day, but this recipe is from Amy Berman, Chef &a Co-Owner of Vanilla Bake Shop. I love the Guinness Buttercream Frosting!

Other Super Bowl Chocolate Links below. Be sure and scroll down!

So who are you cheering for? I'm cheering for these  

Super Bowl Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes!

Ingredients
1 Cup Guinness Extra Stout
1 1/2 Sticks Sweet Butter
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Chocolate Chunks
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Baking Soda
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Sour Cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bring stout and butter to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil.
Add unsweetened chocolate chunks to hot stout/butter mixture. Whisk until chocolate melts. Turn heat off and let cool.
Add sugar to chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
Sift flour, baking soda and salt.
In a stand-alone mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sour cream on medium speed.
Add stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and combine on medium-low speed until encorporated.
Slowly add flour mixture in thirds to chocolate mixture with whisk attachment. Scrape the sides with your whisk to make sure you get all the dry ingredients combined.
Place cupcake papers in pan and divide batter into cups evenly. Fill about 2/3 of the cup.
Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake.
Let cool on wire rack before frosting.

Guinness Buttercream Frosting 
Ingredients
1 Cup Sweet Butter (room temperature)
2 1/2 Cups Sifted Powder Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Whole Scraped Vanilla Bean
1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Guinness Extra Stout

Directions
In a sauce pan, simmer Guinness on low heat for 10-15 min, until it stout becomes reduced and thicker in consistency. Similar to a syrup. *Tip: keep your eye on the store, so stout does not over cook. Let cool.
In a stand alone mixer, cream your butter for 1 minute
Slowly add the powder sugar in thirds, alternating with a little milk each time till mixture is creamy.
Add scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract.
Slowly add reduced Guinness a little at a time. Taste test to desired flavor. You may not use all the Guinness reduction.
Place buttercream in a piping bag with a French star tip, frost cupcakes and enjoy! Or just slather on the icing!

Want some other Chocolate Super Bowl treats?  Check out:

Sarah Sprague's Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Pretzel Cookies
LaFuji Mama has Super Bowl Chocolate Crunchie Munchies

How about some Chocolate Cola Wings? Chef Michael Siry of Duke's Original Roundhouse and Big Daddy's restaurant.

Chocolate Chow Mein & Other Chocolate Treats for Chinese New Year

Gung Hay Fat Choy! This is the Year of the Rabbit. Last year's post included a link to the Chocolate Great Wall of China and Chocolate Warriors, and I also had a recipe for Chinese Noodle Nut Clusters.

My recipe today for Chocolate Chow Mein for Chinese New Year adds butterscotch chips. You'll really need salted peanuts to offset the sweetness of the chocolate and butterscotch chips. You can also drop this batter from a spoon onto a greased cookie sheet.

Be sure and scroll down for links to other chocolate treats for Chinese New Year. Are you posting a chocolate recipe or candy? Let me know, and I will add a link!

CHOCOLATE CHOW MEIN

Ingredients
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or 2 cups dark (70-85% cacao) chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 cups butterscotch chips
2 1/2 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts
4 cups chow mein noodles

Directions
1. Butter a 9x13 inch dish.
2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in top of double boiler over simmering water.
3. Remove from heat and stir in peanuts.
4. Stir in noodles until all is well coated.
5. Press into prepared dish. Chill until set; cut into squares.

New Asian Cuisine has a great recipe for Chocolate Kumquat Spring Rolls, and yes, you fry them!  Recipe includes kumquats, chocolate, Grand Marnier and whipping cream. Fabulous! Kumquats are a symbol of good fortune (kum is a homonym for 'gold' in Chinese)

L.A. Burdick has Milk Chocolate Bunnies (almond ganache) or Dark Chocolate Bunnies (tangerine ganache) for the Year of the Rabbit. Each wood box stamped with a gold "Good Luck" wax seal and tied with "Gung Hay Fat Choy" ribbon.








Chocolate Chow Mein Photo: Gwynne Kloch

Ground Hog Day Chocolate Cupcakes

I love to decorate cupcakes and cakes for special occasions. February 2 is the day when Punxsutawney Phil peaks his head out and if he sees his shadow and returns to his hole, it means there will be another 6 weeks of winter, but if he doesn't see his shadow and comes out, Spring is on its way. This holiday was brought to international attention by the film Ground Hog Day with Bill Murray.

Last year Gourmet Mom on the Go had a fabulous recipe for Punxsutawney Phil Hot Chocolate.  This year for Ground Hog Day, I found an adorable decorating suggestion for Cupcakes for Young and Old to enjoy.  This is from Food.com.  (not my photo, alas, but Marg on Food.com). She did a great job, don't you think? For this holiday, you can make your own cupcakes or buy rich chocolate-y ones at your favorite bakery!

Groundhog Day Cupcakes (decorating)

Ingredients:
12 baked chocolate cupcakes
6 Almond Joy candy bars
10 white jelly beans
3 watermelon slice candy
48 brown miniature M&Ms
4 chocolate cookies
white frosting
black decorating gel

Directions:
1. Remove a piece of cake the width of an Almond Joy candy from the center of a baked cupcake.
2. Set candy bar upright in hole, then spread a layer of white frosting on the cupcake.
3. For groundhog's eyes, trim ends from a white jelly bean, stick them in place with frosting, then dot them with black decorators' gel.
4. Add a tiny triangle cut from a watermelon slice candy for a nose, brown M&Ms Minis for ears and cheeks, and a tiny rectangular piece of white jelly bean for teeth.
5. Sprinkle chocolate cookie crumbs around the partially emerged groundhog, for dirt!

Photo: Marg (Cayman Designs)Food.com

King Arthur Flour Cocoa Page: Self-Saucing Chocolate Cake

February is Chocolate Month, and I have fabulous recipes this month. Lots of holidays, too, such as Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year and so many more!

I've often mentioned that I love the King Arthur Flour website, newsletter and products. Now they have a new page: All About Cocoa. Great information about Cocoa, Origins, Dutch or Natural and Specialty Cocoas.

Here's a great and easy gluten-free recipe from King Arthur Flour for Self-Saucing Chocolate Cake.. kind of like a lava cake, but a different recipe from ones I've posted. This chocolate treat can be dressed up with ice cream, whipped cream, or Irish Cream. I've used Kahlua!

SELF SAUCING CHOCOLATE CAKE

Batter
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa, Cocoa Rouge, or Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 cup almond flour or hazelnut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Double Dutch Dark Cocoa, Cocoa Rouge, or Dutch-process cocoa
pinch of salt
1 cup hot milk or hot water

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease four 1-cup ramekins or oven-safe mugs.
2. To make the cake: Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, nut flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Whisk in the vanilla, melted butter or oil, egg, and milk.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins or mugs, using about 1/3 cup batter in each.
5. To make the topping: Whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and salt.
6. Divide among the ramekins or mugs, using two heaping tablespoons for each.
7. Top each ramekin or mug with 1/4 cup boiling water. Place on a baking sheet.
8. Bake the cakes for 18 to 22 minutes. The cake should be puffy, with some liquid boiling up around the edges.
9. Serve hot or warm. Top with whipped cream, a toasted marshmallow, ice cream, or a splash of Irish Cream (or Kahlua!).

Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: King Arthur Flour