Spicy Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookies-Lemon Glazed Ricotta Cake-Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

If your looking for some sweet treat ideas for the Memorial Day holiday, maybe we can help.
We're heating up the kitchen with some pretty fantastic goodies.
Carol literally added some heat to some Spicy Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookies, Cyndy made delicious Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting that should liven up your picnic, and I made a Lemon Glazed Ricotta Cake-a moist and lemony cake that changes my whole attitude about ricotta...it's not just for cooking anymore!


Carol made:

SPICY HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES




Ever since Bob went to Germany a few years ago and brought back some decadent chili chocolate, I've been thinking about experimenting with a cookie or brownie recipe and adding chili pepper or cayenne, trying to recreate that flavorful taste sensation.
An email arrived containing this cookie recipe, and once I saw the list of ingredients, I couldn't wait to get into the kitchen and begin baking.
The dough goes together very quickly, and with a baking time of a little more than 10 minutes, soon I would know if this recipe was "the one."
I could hardly wait for them to cool, so that I could try one to see if this combination was going to produce the effect that I was looking for. I'm very happy to say....I wasn't disappointed.
In the first bite, I encountered a slight crispness on the outside of the cookie, followed by the rich, full bodied flavor of chocolate. After the second bite, a slight warmth slowly started to grow in the back of my throat, as the combination of chipotle and cayenne worked their magic. It's a pleasant warmth that brings the flavor of the cookie to another level.....you don't just "taste" the cookie, you "experience" the cookie.
Bob was pleasantly surprised to taste the multi-layered complexity that mimicked the chocolate he brought home from his business trip to Europe.
This recipe rode the Bullet train to the top of the favorites list in this house!


Carol




Wanna print just the recipe, click here!

SPICY HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES
(Source: adapted from Duncan Hines)

1 (13x9-inch pan size-about 20 oz.) pkg. chewy fudge brownie mix
3/4 tsp. ground chipotle chile pepper (found in the spice aisle-the brand I got is McCormick Gourmet Collection Chipotle Chile Pepper)
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/3 c. vegetable oil OR butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, chipotle and cayenne. Add oil and eggs: stir with a wooden spoon just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto prepared pans. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 11-14 minutes or until cracked in appearance and just barely set in the center when lightly touched. Cool on pans for 1-2 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen.




Bunny made:

Lemon Glazed Ricotta Cake



I've never baked with ricotta cheese...I don't know what took me so long to try it in my baking. The picture of this cake on The Daily Loaf was just the incentive I needed to try it.
I haven't made a cake this moist in a long time. It is absolutely delicious and was a huge hit at our family dinner last week. It's light, lemony and OH so moist! My brother wants me to make one just for him.
Since this was my first time using ricotta cheese, I followed the recipe exactly. After tasting this, there's absolutely nothing that I would change...it's perfect as is. The Lemon Glaze did give me a little bit of a fit though-the lemon juice wasn't enough liquid with the powdered sugar to make a glaze, so I just added 1 more tablespoon of lemon juice and a little water until it was the consistency that I wanted.



I would be very curious to see what this cake would be like with blueberries or raspberries folded into the batter....


Stop at the store on your way home from work and get some ricotta....your gonna love what it does to a cake.

Wanna print just the recipe, click here!

Lemon Glazed Ricotta Cake

Ricotta Cake:
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
15 ounces whole milk ricotta
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest and Juice of 1 large lemon
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Lemon Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a Bundt cake pan and set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the ricotta and blend until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, incorporating well. Add the vanilla, lemon juice/zest and mix until fully combined.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients in 2 increments, mixing just until incorporated. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth our as needed. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the cake and serve.

Cyndy made:

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting





OH MY...these are waaaaay too good. I love the taste of Kahlua and when I saw these, there was NO WAY I wasn't going to make them. I wanted to surprise Randall...but I couldn't keep these under wraps even if I tried! Once I opened the cupcake carrier, you could smell the chocolate and Kahlua.
The cakes are soft and the crumb is tender. The Kahlua flavor in the cupcake itself is subtle, but the frosting is so sinfully creamy, chocolaty and full of Kahlua taste. I didn't add the 2-3 Tbsp. strong coffee for the frosting as the recipe states-I used one packet of Starbuck's VIA Bold instant coffee and added 2 more Tbsp. of Kahlua. It was absolutely perfect to me...more coffee flavor to balance the Kahlua. I drizzled on some caramel since I love caramel and chocolate in my coffee.
If you try these, be aware that the Kahlua flavor is VERY prominent in the buttercream. I have more.............do you want one? :)


Cyndy




Wanna print just the recipe, click here!

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Worththewhisk.com
Recipe by Karen Gillingham

3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup strong cold coffee
3/4 cup Kahlua

Kahlua Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy; then beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and Kahlua; blend well. Fold egg whites into batter. Fill prepared cupcake cups to 2/3 full.


Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tins and cool on rack completely before frosting. Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

6 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Tbsp. Kahlua {used 6 Tbsp.}
2-3 Tbsp. hot coffee {omitted and used 1 packet Starbuck's VIA Bold}

In large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add cocoa powder, Kahlua and hot coffee {or VIA Bold packet}. Beat until smooth. Frosts 2 dozen cupcakes.