Chocolate Scones

I've always bookmarked pages in cookbooks and online recipes for scones but have never gotten around to make them. I had planned to make banana bread with chocolate chips tonight but my bananas are not ripe enough so I made chocolate scones! I've never made scones (as I just said) so I didn't know what to expect with the dough. For this particular recipe, it was super moist and sticky and I was frightened that the scones would not turn out correctly but after 17 minutes in the oven, they were light and crumbly and scone-y. Perfection.



Chocolate Scones
Adapted from this recipe

1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Drop in the butter, and using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter chunks into the flour until they are reduced to pearl-sized nuggets. Stir in the granulated sugar. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, add the chocolate chips, and stir to form a dough. The dough will be firm but moist, and a bit sticky to the touch. Knead the dough lightly in the bowl about ten times (be careful not to over-knead).
5. Form the dough into a 7-inch round disk on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 6 or 8 wedges, and using a spatula, transfer the wedges to a baking sheet.
6. Bake the scones for 17-18 minutes, or until set.

Yield: 6 large or 8 small scones

Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

I've been poring over cookbooks all morning and afternoon searching for the perfect recipe to make with my brand new KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer.


My mom got it for me as a graduation gift. Oh, I graduated, did I mention that? I graduated! But enough of graduation - my stand mixer is pink! It's all pink and all pretty and all mine! I'm convinced it makes extra tasty treats.


Chocolate Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
2. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla extract and egg.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.
4. Pour into lined cupcake pan, filling cups 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes almost clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Beat the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the Bailey's Irish Cream and 1 cup confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Add the second cup of confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Have you ever been to Roy's? Have you tried their molten chocolate cake? If not, stop reading, do yourself a favor, and go eat one of their molten chocolate cakes. But before you go, I warn you that the cakes must be ordered in advance (when you order your meal) because they are made-to-order. Also, they are $9 a cake. Yes, I know, how do I afford a tiny $9 chocolate cake? Trust me, if you like chocolate molten cakes, it is well worth it.



This morning I had to go to the dentist. I hate the dentist. I'm only 21 yet I have receding gums and sensitive teeth. So I think that in reward for me sitting through the dentist's (painful) poking and prodding, I deserve a molten chocolate cake.


Molten Chocolate Cakes
Adapted from this recipe

2 (1 oz) squares Baker's semisweet baking chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 Tbsp flour

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Butter 2 (3/4 cup) custard cups or souffle dishes. Place on baking pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in powdered sugar until well blended. Whisk in egg and egg yolk. Stir in flour. Divide batter between the two souffle dishes.
3. Bake 10 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Invert cakes on dessert dishes.

Yield: 2 cakes