Creamy Black Forest Brownies

February 1, 2010

Creamy Black Forest Brownies It’s  February -finally!

I  love this month!

There’s so much to look forward too – my favorite chocolate holiday – Valentine’s Day – and my birthday, and this year there’s even the Olympics!

And…to make it even better…it’s a short month with spring just around the corner!

One of my favorite February flavors  is the combination of chocolate and cherries – it’s so Valentine -like!

Dagmar and I put our heads together and came up with this yummy cherry chocolate cream cheese combination.

We started with our classic brownie recipe and added a cream cheese layer, topping it off with cherry pie filling. What could be easier – or tastier!

Creamy Black Forest Brownies

1 – 1/3 cup flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and chopped nuts together in a bowl. Set aside.

Combine the oil, eggs and vanilla together in a bowl, mixing well.

Pour the egg mix into the dry mixture and combine until just moistened. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cool completely.

In a bowl, whip together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Carefully fold in the Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the cooled brownie. Top with the cherry pie filling.

Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

By Country Gal | Posted in Chocolate, Cookies and Bars, Cooking and Food | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

January 29, 2010

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cheesecake.

Doesn’t that word just make you smile?

And chocolate chip cookie dough – who doesn’t love that!

Combine the two and you have an divinely delicious, delectable and delightful dessert! (Can we tell we’re studying alliteration!)

This recipe is my sister’s signature cheesecake. It originally came from a Taste of Home cookbook and has become a family favorite.

It’s a little more complicated to make – but we all know that cheesecake is worth it! :)   I’m just sorry you all don’t have a sister like mine who will make it for you. (And no – I’m not sharing her name or contact info!)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Crust:

1 – 3/4 cup crushed chocolate chip cookies or Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)

Filling:

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookie Dough:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1 – 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (divided)

In a small bowl combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed until just combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until just blended.  Pour over crust  and set aside.

In another mixing bowl, cream butters and sugars on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add water and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips.  Drop this dough by teaspoonful over filling, gently pushing dough below surface. (The dough should be completely covered by filling.)

Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until the center is almost set.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour hour longer.

Refrigerate overnight. Remove the sides of the pan and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips before serving.

Makes 12-14 servings.

Ahh…like I said “divinely delicious, delectable and delightful”!

Enjoy!

PS: I’ve linked this post up with my friend Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates for her Chocolate Friday Fun!

By Country Gal | Posted in Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Desserts | Tagged , , | Comments (6)

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

June 30, 2009

Chocolate ICe Cream LogAngel girl shares a June birthday with one of her friends. So when our families enjoyed a meal together this weekend – I knew a special dessert was in order.

Since we were enduring some intense heat and I didn’t really want to turn the oven on – I decided that an ice cream cake would be perfect!

I found a yummy recipe for a peanut butter ice cream cake – but Angel Girl is not on the peanut butter kick that her older sister is – so I made some chocolate alterations.

The final result -

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Crust :

2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

Filling:

6 cups of vanilla ice cream (divided)
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip

Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch x 5 inch 3 inch bread pan with aluminum foil.

Mix together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted margarine. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared bread pan.  Freeze for 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining crumbs.

Spread half of the ice cream over the crust and freeze for one hour or until firm.

Put the chocolate chips and milk in a microwave proof container and microwave until melted, stirring till smooth. Cool.

Beat cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Add the melted chocolate chips and mix well. Stir in the Cool Whip.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the vanilla ice cream layer and freeze for one hour or until set.

Carefully spread the remaining ice cream over the cream cheese layer and freeze for one hour.

Press the reserved cookie crumbs on top of the ice cream and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze at least one hour before serving.

To serve, use the foil to carefully remove the ice cream cake from the pan. Slice with a serrated knife.

What a cool and yummy treat to celebrate the birthdays of two special 11 year old girls!

By Country Gal | Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Desserts | Tagged , , , , , | Comment (1)

Cream Cheese Double Chocolate Cookies

May 20, 2009

Cream Cheese Double Chocolate CookiesI am a soft cookie person. I love a cookie that is gooey and chewy as opposed to a crisp one.

These soft chocolate cookies were a winner! The cream cheese adds to the richness and helps keep the cookies moist.

The chocolate, of course, is what makes them so wonderful!

Cream Cheese Double Chocolate Cookies

3 – 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3  large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup pecan pieces

Carefully sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together the shortening, cream cheese, and both sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well.

Add the sifted dry ingredients followed by the chocolate chips and pecans and blend well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful to not over bake these cookies!

Incredible hot from the oven! Fabulous when cooled!

Enjoy!

By Country Gal | Posted in Chocolate, Cookies and Bars, Cooking and Food | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Mint Brownie Pie

September 11, 2008

I was thrilled to hear that my good friend and college roommate was planning a stop at my house in route to pick up her daughter!

I haven’t seen Kimmie in 6 years! This called for an amazing chocolate dessert!

Dagmar and I scoured our cookbook collection to discover the perfect “I haven’t seen you in so long- I’m so glad you are here” dessert. (Chocolate of course.)

The winner and huge hit at our meal was this rich chocolate brownie with a creamy mint topping.

Mint Brownie Pie
from Taste Of Home Annual Recipes- 2000

Melt together in a saucepan 6 tablespoons of butter and 2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate.

Stir in 1 cup of sugar until well blended.

Add 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.

Stir in 1/2 cup flour until well blended.

Pour into a greased 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Filling:

In a mixing bowl, beat 8 oz. of cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar until smooth.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract and green food coloring (optional).

Fold in 1 carton (8 ounces) of Cool Whip.

Spread evenly over brownie layer, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove sides from pan just before serving.

Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and drizzle over the top. Garnish with more Cool Whip and chocolate chips.

Dagmar used her cake decorating kit to make the top extra special. She piped melted chocolate chips into stars and refrigerated them until they were hard.

It was a very special dessert, perfect for our very special company!

By Country Gal | Posted in Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Pies | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)