Chocolate Truffles {they're easy!}

I'm a chocolate-aholic and chocolate truffles satisfy my sweet tooth like no other chocolate dessert is able. In fact, chocolate for me right up there with crusty french bread, shoes, and family (not always in that order). I remember going to camp my very first time to Camp Skyline and finding out that there was a person who didn't like chocolate. I was dumbfounded. How was this possible? I later learned other people didn't like chocolate and the world was forever a mystery to me. What's more amazing is that 2 members of my family would choose vanilla over chocolate. The horror! At least I have one child after my own heart :lol: .... Anyway, Kayla is back again with another extraordinary recipe that she gave me a while ago to publish, but I tucked it away for a day when I was absolutely craving chocolate so badly that all that would subside this absolute hunger would be rich, thick as sin, chocolate truffles. Chocolate lovers know what I mean. All you non-chocolate-aholics are missing out on a bit of heaven. And I envy your restraint....

From Kara, our teen chef: I love chocolate, and ubiquitous treats are chocolate truffles: rich, fudgy chocolate encased in even more chocolate. Instead of splurging on a box from an expensive store, try making your own! They are so easy and a bit messy, which is just another way to say that you get to eat more chocolate. You can stick with the basic recipe, or experiment with flavors by using different chocolates, extracts, nuts, or other add-ins. My favorite chocolate truffles include peppermint extract, peanuts, white chocolate, and dried cherries. Almost anything works in the recipe, but I have found that jams and jellies prevent the filling from setting correctly.

Chocolate Truffles, makes approximately 8 truffles, adapted from Alton Brown

5 oz Chocolate, Chopped 1 Cup Chocolate 1.5 T Butter 1/4 Cup Cream 1 T Corn Syrup Add-Ins

Melt the butter and 5oz chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream and corn syrup until simmering. Pour over the chocolate mixture and let stand for two minutes. Stir to combine, then fold in any add-ins. Chill for an hour or until fudgy.

Scoop the chilled ganache into small balls. Freeze until hard.

Melt the remaining cup of chocolate. Dip the frozen balls into the chocolate, then chill until hard. Share or indulge in your simple homemade chocolate truffles!

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog, The Nerdy Chef!

Raspberry Coffee Cake recipe

From our teen chef, Kayla of The Nerdy Chef:  Making this Raspberry Coffee Cake is one of my favorite things to do for my mom on Mother's Day is to cook her breakfast. She loves raspberries, she loves almonds, and she definitely loves chocolate, so this is one of her favorite treats. You can make it for breakfast or brunch then have some later in the day as a snack or dessert because coffee cake is great at any time of day. Plus, this raspberry coffee cake recipe is perfect for just about any occasion; it is colorful, sweet, rich, and just plain delicious.

The base is a light, fluffy vanilla cake, which is studded with melty chocolate and raspberries. You can use either fresh or frozen raspberries, but, since it's not quite raspberry season yet, I used frozen. They can get pretty liquidy, so I toss them in some cornstarch so that they don't turn the whole cake pink. That would be pretty, but I love the contrast between the cream-colored cake, the dark chocolate, and the bright red raspberries. Anyway, I top the whole thing with buttery almond streusel. It's the same streusel that I use in my Peach Crumb Cake, but, instead of cinnamon, I use almond extract and mix in some almonds. They add even more crunchiness and balance out the sweetness of the cake, the bitterness of the chocolate, and the tartness of the raspberries. This cake is a must-have for brunch, dessert, or just a snack because there are so many different textures and delicious layers of flavors.

Makes 1 9" Square, Recipe Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

3/4 + 1/3 Cup Sugar 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar 1/2 + 1/8 tsp Salt 1 Stick Butter, Melted 1/2 Stick Butter, Softened 1/8 tsp Almond Extract 1 3/4 Cups Cake Flour 2 Cups Flour 1/2 Cup + 2 T Slivered Almonds 1 Cup Milk 1 tsp Vanilla 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 Egg 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips 1 Cup Raspberries (Fresh or Frozen & Thawed) 2 T Cornstarch

Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, brown sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, melted butter, and almond extract. Stir in cake flour and almonds. Chill until cold.

Line a 9" square baking pan with parchment. Heat oven to 350F.

Beat the softened butter and remaining sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Fold the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions.

Combine the raspberries and cornstarch.

Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the raspberries and chocolate, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the remaining raspberries and chocolate on top, and top with the streusel.

Bake the coffee cake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog, The Nerdy Chef!

Raspberry Coffee Cake

Recipe Type: coffee cake

Cuisine: American

Author: popcosmo.com

Coffee cake perfect for any occasion. The base is a light, fluffy vanilla cake, and is studded with melty chocolate and raspberries.

Ingredients

• 3/4 + 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 + 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1 Stick Butter, Melted
• 1/2 Stick Butter, Softened
• 1/8 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 3/4 Cups Cake Flour
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1/2 Cup + 2 T Slivered Almonds
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips
• 1 Cup Raspberries (Fresh or Frozen & Thawed)
• 2 T Cornstarch

Instructions

1. Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, brown sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, melted butter, and almond extract. Stir in cake flour and almonds. Chill until cold.
2. Line a 9" square baking pan with parchment. Heat oven to 350F.
3. Beat the softened butter and remaining sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla.
4. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Fold the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions.
5. Combine the raspberries and cornstarch.
6. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the raspberries and chocolate, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the remaining raspberries and chocolate on top, and top with the streusel.
7. Bake the coffee cake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

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Happy early Mother's Day!!

Easter Bread

Some of you may remember my Easter bread recipe from last year. Everyone loved it so much that I made it again, and it's even better now! I added a glaze to make it a bit sweeter and also played around with the colors of the eggs in the middle.

For years my family and I would dye Easter eggs even though we aren't Christian and don't celebrate Easter. I just loved it so much that I forced my parents into buying all the kits to dye eggs and I would spend hours making tons of them. I stopped a few years ago, but then I figured out how to make my own dyes for this bread. It's so easy; all you have to do is stir some vinegar and food coloring into boiling water. If you put stickers on before you dip the eggs and peel them off after, you are left with white spots (or whatever shape your stickers are). I decided to try to tie-dye mine, and it was actually pretty easy to do. I dyed the water the color I wanted and let the eggs sit for a few minutes, and then I splashed a few drops of pure food coloring on an egg before submerging it again for just a few seconds. Let the eggs sit for a few seconds, blot dry, and you have beautifully tie-dyed eggs.

As good as the bread is and as pretty as the eggs are, I must say they could use a little more sweetness. Instead of adding more sugar and potentially upsetting the delicate balance of the bread itself, I decided to drizzle the whole thing with a glaze. I prefer vanilla, but you can add whatever flavor you want, from citrus (use the zest) to almond (use almond extract). For more flavor, you can even mix in some dried or candied fruit like orange peel, raisins, or cherries. Even if you keep the bread plain, it will definitely be the star of your Easter brunch! ~Kayla of The Nerdy Chef.

Easter Bread Recipe , makes 6

2 1/4 tsp Yeast 1 1/4 Cups + 1 tsp Milk Pinch Salt 1/3 Cup Butter 9 Eggs 1/2 Cup Sugar 5 Cups Flour Vinegar Food Coloring Sprinkles 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar 1 tsp Milk 1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract (or other type of extract or zest)

Boil 1/2 cup water in a mug or glass measuring cup. Whisk in 1 tsp vinegar and food coloring. Gently place an egg in the mixture and swirl lightly for up to 5 minutes or until desired color. Repeat with 5 more eggs, changing water when necessary or when changing colors.

Combine the butter and 1 1/4 cups milk in a small pot until the butter is melted. Cool until just warm.

Combine the yeast, salt, 2 eggs, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fold in the milk mixture, then beat in half of the flour using the dough hook. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough; you may not use all of it. Knead until smooth.

Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for an hour or until doubled. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 1" thick log. Twist two ropes together, then form it into a ring. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place the rings on parchment-lined cookie trays. Place an egg in the center of each; it should be fairly snug. Cover and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the remaining egg with 1T water. Brush onto the rings, avoiding the egg in the center. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Whisk the powdered sugar, remaining milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Drizzle onto the cooled bread and top with sprinkles. Enjoy your Easter Bread!

Easter Bread

Author: Kayla for PopCosmo

Serves: 12+

The traditional colorful, braided Easter bread with a hard-boiled egg in the middle.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 tsp Yeast
• 1 1/4 Cups + 1 tsp Milk
• Pinch Salt
• 1/3 Cup Butter
• 9 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 5 Cups Flour
• Vinegar
• Food Coloring
• Sprinkles
• 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Milk
• 1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract (or other type of extract or zest)

Instructions

1. Boil 1/2 cup water in a mug or glass measuring cup. Whisk in 1 tsp vinegar and food coloring. Gently place an egg in the mixture and swirl lightly for up to 5 minutes or until desired color. Repeat with 5 more eggs, changing water when necessary or when changing colors.
2. Combine the butter and 1 1/4 cups milk in a small pot until the butter is melted. Cool until just warm.
3. Combine the yeast, salt, 2 eggs, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fold in the milk mixture, then beat in half of the flour using the dough hook. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough; you may not use all of it. Knead until smooth.
4. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for an hour or until doubled. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 1" thick log. Twist two ropes together, then form it into a ring. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Place the rings on parchment-lined cookie trays. Place an egg in the center of each; it should be fairly snug. Cover and let rise for another hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the remaining egg with 1T water. Brush onto the rings, avoiding the egg in the center. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
7. Whisk the powdered sugar, remaining milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Drizzle onto the cooled bread and top with sprinkles.

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