Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups water

1-1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

1 dash salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.      Combine the water, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a saucepan over low heat; whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir the vanilla into the sauce. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Walnut Bread (Cozonac cu Nuca)

Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 3 loaves

60 grams fresh yeast
250 grams chopped walnuts or pecans
1 kilogram all purpose flour
300 grams white sugar
5 eggs
500 milliliters milk
250 grams butter melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup vegetable oil
zest from one lemon

Instructions:
In a sauce pan add the sugar, milk, butter and lemon zest then warm it up. Do not boil it, it just needs to be hot.

Meanwhile, take the yeast and mix it with 2 tbsp of warm milk, 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of flour and mix it well. Let it rest, if the yeast is fresh you will see the mixture rise. Leave it for about ten minutes. In a big bowl add the flour and if you're using vanilla powder add it to the flour otherwise add it to the milk mixture. Add 5 egg yolks (the whites will be used for the pecan cream) to the milk mixture and mix well. Next I usually use my kitchen aid mixer with the dough or paddle attachment. Add the flour to the bowl of the mixer, the milk mixture and the yeast mixture as well. Mix well for a few minutes. In the old days you'd have to knead this by hand for at least half hour. The more it mixes the fluffier the dough will be. Add the raisins and mix well.

Let the dough rise for an hour or two until it doubles in size.

In the meantime, in a food processor add the pecans or walnuts, add 5 more tablespoons of sugar and the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and mix. In the mixer put the egg whites and mix until stiff then add the pecan mixture and mix. Put this mixture in the fridge.

After the dough has risen, divide it in 3 pieces. On a big surface where you can work the dough, oil the surface, we will not use flour here, oil or butter works better. Take one piece and roll it out and then add a third of the pecan mixture to the dough and roll it out. Put each roll in a buttered bread pan and let rise again until doubled in size. Next make an egg wash and wash each bread with egg then sprinkle some sugar over each loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into this.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place parchment paper in a 10x15 inch pan.  Melt butter slowly stirring frequently.  Be careful NOT to let the butter boil.   Whisk together the butter and sugar.  Whisk in the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  Stir to combine.  Pour into the pan.  Spread out (batter will be thick) until the batter reaches the edges of the pan.  Bake in the oven for 10 min.  The cake is done when it is dry to the touch and the edges start to pull away from the sides.  Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack.  Gently lift the cake onto a cutting board.  Use a serrated knife to cut the cake in half.  Place one half of the cake on to a piece of plastic wrap.  Spread ice cream onto the cake.  Top with other half of cake.  Wrap tightly in plastic and then freeze for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.  When ready to serve, slice the ice cream sandwich into serving size pieces with a serrated knife.  Enjoy!

Crazy Cake

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

4-6 Tablespoons cocoa

2 Tablespoons vinegar

3/4 cups vegetable oil

1-2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups cold water

Mix dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients.  don't over mix.  Pour into well greased 9 X 13" pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 min. or until done.

Hot Chocolate Pudding

1 can evaporated milk

1/4 cup corn starch

3 Tbsp cocoa

2/3 cup sugar

dash salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp butter

mini marshmallows (optional)

Combine dry ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Mix together. Add evaporated milk and 1 almost full can of water. Whisk together. Cook pudding in microwave, whisking every three minutes until thick. Add butter and vanilla. Pour into mugs with marshmallows on bottom. Serve warm.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 Cups flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Cups canola oil
1 Cups sugar
1/4 Cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 Cup sour cream
3 Cup grated zucchini
3/4 Cup mini chocolate chips

Topping:
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans and set aside.
Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes.

Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.

Gently stir in the grated zucchini.

If you only have regular chocolate chips, or a chocolate bar, just give it a chop so it's the size of mini chocolate chips. Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Divide the batter between the two pans. Sprinkle topping over each.

Bake in your preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes. I set my timer for 45 minutes and then keep an eye on it for the remainder.

When it's done a toothpick or skewer should come out without goopy batter on it and the top will be gorgeous and cracked with sugar.

Let it cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and then remove from pans. You definitely have to eat a slice warm. And slathered with butter.

Makes 2 loaves

recipe by Our Best Bites Cookbook

No-bake Cookies

2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups rolled oats

Combine sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine in pan on stove. Turn heat to high. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, keep stirring for 60 seconds (time it). Remove from heat. Allow to cool completely to room temperature (you should be able to put your hand on the bottom of the pan comfortably). Do not stir the pan at all during cooling... that breaks the bonds that will later hold the cookies together. Add vanilla, peanut butter and oats. Stir until the mixture loses its glossy look (about a minute). Scoop into cookies. (They will need time to set up completely.)