Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate and wine!!!

I have had the chocolate itch lately ever since I was lucky enough to be introduced to this chocolate cake at a restaurant here at Easton, Smith and Wollensky.  This cake was huge and probably the best chocolate cake I've had, sorry momma!!! Sooooo with that being said, I had this same friend over for dinner and wanted to make my own dessert..... tough to compare to this chocolate cake but man was it delish! People I'm sure have made this before and call it all sorts of names, I will call it........

Fudgy Chocolate Wonderfulness

1 cup Flour
2t baking soda
1/2c brown sugar
1-1/4c sugar
1/2c Hershey cocoa
1/4 salt
1-1/2t vanilla
1/3c butter
1/2c milk
1-1/4c hot water

Preheat oven 350. Heat the water on the stove until just under a simmer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine ¾ cup of the granulated sugar, flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.

 

Pour the batter into an lightly greased 2-quart ceramic or a 9-inch square baking and spread evenly.

 

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa and mix well. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in your dish or pan. Pour the hot water over the top – but do not stir! Repeat DO NOT STIRE

 

Bake 35-40 minutes if using a glass dish (or 30-35 minutes if using a metal pan) – or until the center is almost set. Remove your dish from the oven and allow it to sit 15 minutes!! Be patience I promise it is worth it!

 

Best served of course with ice cream! It was a definite success!! Okay so it is not my photo, but I forgot to take one I was the inpatient one!!

 

The second dessert came about while I was browsing at work! I really had a taste for something with Oreo's in it and came across a cupcake that was perfect!!! Although I was some what hesitant when I read the recipe and thought to myself, "this is way to easy and I'm not sure about the cookie on the bottom." Well all I needed for it was Oreo's from the store and decided to go for it! I knew if I didn't eat them I knew lots of people who would!!

 

 

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

 

 

20 Oreo cookies (12 left whole for the bottoms)

3/4c powdered sugar

1 pkg cream cheese softened

2 egg whites

pinch of salt

 

1/4c heavy cream

1/4c chocolate chips

 

Place cupcake liners in your tin. Add an Oreo to each tin. With the remaining Oreo's coarsely chop them.

With your mixer mix powdered sugar and cream cheese until combined. Add one egg white at a time and mix on medium speed until just blended, do not over mix. Add a pinch of salt.  Fold in chopped Oreos. Spoon on top of cookie in the tin. Bake for 25 minutes until center is set.

To make the chocolate ganche melt the chocolate chips and stir in the heavy cream until combined. Spoon over cupcakes and let cool.  After they have cooled place in the fridge.

 

Okay so you know how I said I was not so sure about these.  I'm 110% sure now that they are AMAZING!!! Good thing it only makes 12!!!!

 

 

To go along with the desserts, I thought I would share a new wine that is my new favorite affordable wine. You can find it at Giant Eagle or Kroger or probably at any store near you! It is

Michael David wine Petite petit. The reason I chose to try this was because there was only one bottle left and thought that mannnn this must be good, and sure enough!! It was delish and had elephants on the label which reminded me of my momma!