Quadruple Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes when I get home from teaching, I need a cookie. Or 5..sometimes 5 cookies. And last week was one of the 5 cookies kind of weeks. Luckily, by the time I nibbled on the batter making these cookies, I only had two instead of five. A

Double chocolate chip cookies are some of my favorites, and I've been known to order them from anywhere. Subway anyone? And so I set out to recreate the soft chewy centers of my favorite double chocolate chip cookies.  But I also had to raise the bar a little a lot.

So for these cookies, I added three different kinds of chocolate chips--dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and white chocolate. The different chocolate chips add different flavors and textures through the cookies. And I added a hit of espresso powder to the batter to make the coco powder flavor really shine.

Vanilla, butter, salt, coco powder, and three kinds of chocolate chips make these quadruple chocolate chocolate chip cookies the perfect afternoon snack after a stressful day. Add a tall, cold glass of milk, and my day was suddenly looking up. It's amazing what quadruple chocolate chocolate chip cookies can do!

Quadruple Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Happy Food Happy Home

Yields approx. 20 cookies

1 ¼ sticks butter (10 tablespoons), softened 

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons coco powder

¾ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup dark chocolate chips

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the egg. Mix until just combined. Scrape down sides.
4. Mix in vanilla and espresso powder. Scrape down sides.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, coco powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix until just combined. Scrape down sides.
7. Add remaining dry ingredients and all of the chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
8. Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop cookies onto lined baking sheet.
9. Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes until the edges are set but the middles are still soft. The cookies should have a few cracks running across their tops. 
10. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Sometimes cookies can make everything better. And I love those times--your problems aren't too big when cookies can fix them. Cookies are my go-to 'had a bad day' food; do you have a comfort food you make during a bad day? If you don't I would highly recommend trying these quadruple chocolate chip cookies!

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart

Dustin loves chocolate. He doesn't like cake, pie is definitely not his favorite--he is straight chocolate all the way. Because of his no cake/no pie stance on desserts, occasionally I make him something that is all chocolate and just for him.

This Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart definitely fits the bill.  It is the perfect dessert for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner at home!  It is rich and chocolaty with the perfect amount of vanilla and espresso powder to amp up the chocolate flavor without overpowering it at all.

We ate half a couple pieces of the tart, and then I took the rest to my grandma's birthday.  My cousin claimed I was magic because the tart is so good. I laughed, but really.  It's like a chocolate truffle coated with extra dark chocolate all wrapped up in crunchy buttery graham cracker crust.

And the chocolate tart simple to make!  It's really just 3 simple steps--no double broiler, no fancy techniques, and a seriously impressive and delicious result!

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart Recipe
author: Abby at Happy Food Happy Home
adapted from Epicurious
Serves 8-12

Crust

1 package chocolate graham crackers

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons butter

Pinch of salt

A 9 inch tart pan

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until crushed.
3. Add the salt and pulse until combined.
4. In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter and coconut oil together.
5. Pour half the melted butter/coconut oil mixture into the crumbs and pulse until combined. Scrape the bottom of the food processor.
6. Add the remaining butter/coconut oil and pulse into combined.
7. Pour the crust mixture into the tart pan. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan
• To get firm edges, I press two of my fingers into the flutes all the way around the pan. It’s a little time consuming, but it works!
8. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until it is firm.
9. Remove from oven and set aside. Don’t turn off the oven. 

Filling

1 ¼ cup of heavy cream

9 ounces dark chocolate (60-65 percent), chopped

½ teaspoons espresso powder

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

1. In a heat proof bowl, sprinkle the espresso powder over the chocolate pieces.
2. Bring the cream to a boil.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and salt.
4. Pour the cream over the chocolate.  Whisk until melted and combined.
5. Add the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
6. Pour into the baked crust.
7. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until the edges are set but the middle still wiggles a bit.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes until room temperature.
• You can also cool the tart in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Glaze

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 ¾ ounces chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon warm water

1. Place the chocolate and the corn syrup in a heat proof bowl.
2. Bring cream to a boil.
3. Pour over the chocolate and corn syrup. Whisk together until combined.
4. Add the water and whisk until thoroughly combined. Try not to incorporate too many air bubbles into the chocolate.
5. Pour the glaze in the middle of the cooled tart. Rotate the tart in a circle to spread the glaze around. You can also use an offset spatula to spread the glaze.
6. Allow the tart to cool and set for approximately 1 hour.
7. Slice into thin pieces and serve!

The Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart is a perfect decadent chocolate dessert. It would great to make for a special someone for a Valentine's Day dessert!

Spring Berry Brownie Sundaes

Summer camp has been kicking my butt.  We're three weeks in, and I still feel like I'm running everywhere in order to make sure everyone is having a great time.  Luckily that's mostly what I have to worry about-- everyone having fun.  Not a bad job to have.

When I get home in the afternoon I'm normally hungry and tired.  So I love having an afternoon snack.  It's a bit of an indulgence in the middle of my day--a little treat between lunch and dinner.  Most days I convince myself that some fruit or cheese would be a good snack.  But some days I just need somethings chocolate.

I love brownies, especially ones with a crispy top and a gooey middle.  They're just the perfect little chocolaty bite that I crave.  These brownies are delicious, and I dare I say easy.  Chocolate, a touch of espresso powder, and vanilla make a rich complex brownie that doesn't seem too far away from a traditional brownie.  Brownies don't really need to be messed with, do they?

And to make everything even more indulgent and delicious (who can so no to that?)  I topped the brownies with ice cream and my Spring Berry Syrup.  It's like the ultimate brownie sundae served in a jar! It's cute--dare I say twee--and the spring berry brownie sundae is the perfect ending to a hot day at camp.

Spring Berry Brownie Sundaes

author: Happy Food Happy Home

makes 8-10 brownie sundaes

Brownies

3 ounces  70 percent dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon espresso powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt)

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter an 8x8 baking pan.
3. Set a large glass mixing bowl over a pot of boiling water. 
4. Add the chocolate and the butter to the bowl and stir until almost melted.
5. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until the mixture is smooth.
6. Whisk in the sugar.
7. Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
8. Whisk in the vanilla and the espresso powder. 
9. Add the flour and salt and stir until just combined.
10. Pour the brownies into the prepared pan.
11. Bake the brownies for 25-35 minutes until the top is crisp, the edges are set, and the middle is slightly gooey. 
12. Allow brownies to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting and assembling the sundaes.

To Assemble Sundaes:

Spring Berry Syrup

Vanilla Ice Cream

Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for topping

1. I cut the brownies into about 1 inch squares to fit in the pint size mason jar. 
2. Start with 1 layer of brownies, then top with a spoonful of syrup.
3. Add more brownies, ice cream, and a big spoon of spring berry syrup on top. 
4. Top with berries if desired.
5. Devour promptly. 

Notes:  Brownies adapted from Smitten Kitchen

I love these spring berry brownie sundaes.  I might have eaten them for about a week in a row.  They would also be perfect for a cookout--everyone can make their own!  Do you have a favorite afternoon snack?  Is it practical or more indulgent?

Deep Dish Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie

Dustin and I love chocolate chip cookies.  I try to keep some in the freezer to bake whenever the desire for chocolate chip cookies strikes, but I had recently run out of dough.  Oh no!

I decided to make a deep dish chocolate chip cookie, and because I had just made caramels I decided to put caramel in the chocolate chip cookie too.  The caramel was a very very good choice.  The cookie is chocolaty and doughy and the caramel is chewy and rich.

The deep dish caramel chocolate chip cookie is a great dessert.  The flavors are complex and familiar, and everything comes together into a delicious bowl of cookie and caramel!

Deep Dish Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies
Author: Happy Food Happy Home

adapted from Dash and Bella at Food52

2 1/8 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup room temperature unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed

½ cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup dark chocolate chips (preferably large flat ones)

1. Sift or whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the eggs one at a time.  Fully incorporate the first egg before adding the next one. Completely mix in the second egg and the vanilla.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix to combine.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the second half of the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips.  Mix until the flour just disappears. 
6. If just making cookies form two ounce cookies and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees until edges are golden, but the centers are still doughy and delicious.  

Chocolate Chip Caramel Deep Dish Cookie

makes 1 deep dish cookie-16 servings 
Author: Happy Food Happy Home

1 recipe chocolate chip cookie dough

16-20  ½ inch caramels (either unwrapped store bought caramels or homemade)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.  Make sure to grease up the sides.
3. Use your hands to place a half inch layer of cookie dough on the bottom of the dish. 
4. Evenly space the caramels over the top of the cookie dough. 
5. Put another layer of cookie dough around the caramels.  Allow some caramel to poke through the top to show of the deliciousness inside!
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.  The middle of the cookie will still be slightly doughy.  You can bake it for a little longer to set the middle, but watch the edges closely to keep them from getting too brown. 
7. Allow the cookie to sit for approximately 10 minutes to allow the caramel to firm up a little before spooning the cookie onto a plate, topping with ice cream, and devouring. 

Caramel Cookie Idea from Pinch of Yum

The deep dish caramel chocolate chip cookie was delicious and caramel-y.  I couldn't stop eating it!  With a big glass of milk to wash it down, this caramel chocolate chip cookie was the perfect dessert!