TCHO

TCHO ~ CHOCOLATEY

So, yesterday, the package arrived. As soon as I opened the mailbox, I knew exactly what it was. To be 100% honest, it was Ally's blog that led me to Blake Makes ... more specifically, her cute little cheesecakes with PBDDL. So, thanks, Ally!

Blake had an awesome TCHO giveaway last week and I was lucky enough to be one of the 50-something to win!

Now, on to the goodness ... this was the best dark chocolate I've ever had. HONESTLY! I had planned on using it creatively in a baked good, but couldn't resist and ate it as-is!

The packaging was super cute. So cute, that I didn't even want to open it!

Thanks so much TCHO and Blake. I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to sample such a great product. I can't wait to get my hands on some more!

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

These are everything the title says they are. A seriously nice change from your every day soft, gooey chocolate chip cookie.

This recipe is from Cooks Illustrated and I followed it exactly!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda onto large sheet of parchment paper; set aside.

2. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup at low speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Add yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute, scraping bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. With mixer running on low speed, fold up 3 edges of parchment around dry ingredients to form a pouch (see illustrations below) and slowly shake dry ingredients into bowl; mix on low speed until just combined, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat. Add chips and mix on low speed until distributed evenly throughout batter, about 5 seconds.

3. Leaving about 2 inches between each ball, scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets with 1 1/4-inch (1 tablespoon capacity) ice cream scoop. Bake 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are deep golden brown and flat, about 12 minutes.

4. Cool cookies on baking sheet 3 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let sit until crisped and cooled to room temperature. (Can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake

All I can say is YUM! This was sooooo good! I made 3 pans of this cake over the weekend. One for my brunch, one for my mom and dad and one for Matt & I. Matt is taking the rest of our pan to work tomorrow. It's time for it to go. I've had plenty!

This is another fabulous recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SOUR CREAM CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
16 ounces sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda

12 ounces chocolate chips
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 1½ cups sugar, then mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together into a separate bowl. Alternately add sour cream and then dry ingredients into butter mixture. Beat eggs whites until stiff, then fold into batter. Mix last ½ cup sugar and cinnamon together in a separate, small dish.

In a greased 9″x13″ pan, pour in half of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half of the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top, sprinkling the top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Pumpkin-Spice Cheesecake Brownies

This recipe came from Cara's blog. It was the perfect recipe to make, being that I had some leftover pumpkin to use. These brownies are so delish. They incorporate the perfect amount of chocolate and pumpkin. I'll definitely make these bad boys again! Too bad mine don't look as pretty as Cara's!

Pumpkin-Spice Cheesecake Brownies

Brownie Batter:

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

Cheesecake Batter:

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp each ground ginger and ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8" square metal baking pan.

Beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients and then gradually stir into butter mixture with a wooden spoon. In separate bowl, beat together cheesecake batter ingredients.

Spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into prepared pan, and spoon cheesecake batter over. Dollop remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. Swirl the batters together by running a butter knife back and forth through the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set. Cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving.