Selena Robins, Author

There’s nothing like the sweet aroma of rich, silky chocolate drifting from your kitchen, or in my case, rich, smooth chocolate splashed across my apron, smudged on my cheeks, cocoa powder sprinkled on my countertops, and mysteriously chocolate splatters on my ceiling fan.

But even if you’re like me and resemble a cocoa-covered maniac living in a chocolatier’s explosion for a few hours, the rewards and clean-up are worth every messy moment.

What we’ll be baking:

• Bacon Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups
• Paper-thin, Feather-light Crepes with Chocolate Sauce
• Chocolate-Insert your Favorite Liqueur-Truffles
• Saltine Cracker Toffee (aka “Christmas Crack”)
  
  

Bacon Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

4 slices maple-cured bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup sugar (set this aside)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips — you can use milk chocolate if you prefer; your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside

In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs individually, then add the bacon bits and vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just blended.

Roll the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls and roll the balls in 1/4 cup of sugar.

Place cookies 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or un-greased cookie sheet), flatten slightly, or use your favorite cookie cutter to make different shapes.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges.

Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Remove from the baking sheet and decorate with your favorite icing.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of each cookie so they stick to the icing.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups

Ingredients:

12 ounces Belgian Milk Chocolate (trust me, it’s worth the investment)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
paper or foiled candy cups
have your candy cups lined up and ready to be filled

Directions:

In a glass measuring cup, add chocolate about ½ way in the cup and microwave on medium-high (for 1 minute, take out and stir and then put back in for another 30 seconds). Stir the chocolate until it’s all melted.

When melted, immediately pour the chocolate into foiled cups, filling them only halfway.

Let the chocolate cool and harden.

Once hardened, add a dollop of peanut butter in the center of each cup. Top with melted chocolate.

Let them cool, and then store in the fridge.

Paper Thin, Feather-Light Crepes with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 cup good quality dark chocolate (or milk chocolate)

Directions:

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa in a bowl.

Use a separate bowl to add eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of milk and mix well together.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, whisking continuously.

Then, gradually add the remaining milk, still whisking continuously.

Whisk in the melted butter.

Heat your skillet over medium-high heat.

Ensure your crepe batter is smooth.

Once the skillet is ready, add the batter to the center of the skillet. Tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly until the bottom is covered. When the edges peel off easily and begin to brown, use a spatula and flip the crepe over (carefully). Continue on the other side for about 20 – 30 seconds until lightly browned.

Remove from skillet, put on a plate, and make your next one. Cover each crepe with some aluminum foil until you are all done.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.

Spread your filling over the crepe, roll it tightly, and top it with melted chocolate.

Crepe Filling:

Strawberries, blueberries, or if you don’t have fresh berries, then berry jam or jelly. You can also top it with whipped cream or ice cream sprinkled with chocolate chips, raisins, or nuts.

Use your imagination, as anything goes when it comes to enjoying crepes.

Chocolate-Insert your Favorite Liqueur-Truffles

Ingredients:

6 ounces good quality dark chocolate
2 TBSP of unsalted butter
2 TBSP heavy cream
6 TBSPS of (choose one: Rum, Bourbon, Grand Marnier Bailey’s, or any other liqueur you like to pair with chocolate)
1 pound confectionary sugar (also known as icing sugar)
Powdered chocolate and/or chopped nuts

Optional: 2 tsp. Cayenne pepper (I love the sweet and spicy mixture, so if you’re adventurous, give this a try, or roll in chili peppers)

Directions:

Get all your ingredients out and measured, ready to go, and cut a sheet of parchment paper on your working surface.

Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate, but DO NOT let it become too hot. Put it on medium-low, just enough to melt the chocolate nicely, while you stir with a wooden spoon.

Add the butter. Mix well until the butter is melted.

Add the Liqueur you have chosen plus the cream and mix well.

Gradually fold in the powdered sugar, stirring it into the chocolate (you may not even need the whole pound of sugar). What you’re looking for is a soft paste to be formed.

Turn the heat off.

Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon), form the chocolate into little balls, then roll in the chocolate powder (you can move some in chopped nuts) and put them on the parchment paper. Let them cool, and then store them in a tight-fitting glass jar.

Saltine Cracker Toffee (aka “Christmas Crack”)

Ingredients:

40 (or more if needed) Saltine Crackers (salted)
1 Cup Butter (unsalted)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (or milk or dark chocolate chips, your choice)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F

Line a cookie sheet with as many of the Saltine Crackers as it will take to fill your cookie sheet (approx. 40).

Please note: Do not overlap, and do not place the crackers on each other.

Add butter and brown sugar in a pot, stir the mixture, and boil. Once the mix is boiling, continue stirring for three minutes. The mixture should be a deep caramel color.

Remove the pot from heat and immediately pour the mixture over the Saltine Crackers, ensuring that every single cracker is covered by the caramel mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes. The crackers should look all bubbly.

Remove the tray from the oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top, and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Once the chocolate has melted, spread the melted chocolate to cover all the crackers.

Allow the crackers to cool completely, then break them into pieces or use a knife to cut them into pieces.