Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles

16 oz package oreo cookies

8 oz cream cheese

semi-sweet chocolate chips OR white chocolate bark

canola oil

Process oreos until they are a fine powder.  Then in an electric mixer with the wire attachment, beat the processed oreos and cream cheese until completely combined.  Chill mix for an hour or up to 3 days. 

Form filling into small truffle size balls.  Smaller balls make more truffles, larger ones make fewer.  Simple logic.

Place truffles on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes up to 3 days. 

To prepare the candy coating:

Melt chocolate (chips or bark) and about 1 teaspoon of canola oil in the microwave for 1 minute.  Stir for 15 seconds.  Microwave for another 15 seconds.  Continue stirring and micro waving for 15 seconds at a time until chocolate is completely liquid.  This process will prevent the chocolate from burning. 

I use a fondue set once the chocolate is liquid to keep it from hardening.  Melt in the microwave first to save time and heating fuel.  Then transfer bowl to fondue burner. 

Take truffles out of freezer and dip one at a time in the chocolate candy coating.  Place back on wax paper.  Freeze truffles again after coating.  Then transfer to an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

Tip: If truffles begin to get soft when dipping, put them back in the freezer for 15 minutes. 

Chocolate Oreo Cake

 Chocolate Oreo Cake

Cake:

2 C. sugar                                         2 eggs

1 ¾ C. flour                                       1 C. milk

¾ C. Hershey’s cocoa                    ½ C. oil

1 ½ tsp. baking powder                  2 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ tsp. baking soda                      1 C. boiling water

1 tsp. salt

15 Oreos:  separate, cut cream sides in half.  Reserve remaining cookie sides.

Pre-heat oven to 350.  Prepare two 9 inch cake pans, line with parchment, grease and lightly flour. 

Place halved cream side cookies in one pan- cream side up.

Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. 

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water.  (Batter will be thin.)   Bake 30-35 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely. 

Frosting:

½ cup butter, melted

2/3 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

½ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir butter into cocoa. Alternately add sugar and milk, beat to spreading consistency.

Filling:

1/3 cup whipping cream

2 tsp. powdered sugar

small dash vanilla

1/8 C. Oreo cookie crumbs, from reserved Oreo cookie sides. 

Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.  Gently fold in crumbs. 

Place cake layer with Oreos on the bottom of serving plate.  Frost, then make a dam with frosting around the edge.  Spread filling in center of cake.  Place remaining layer and frost. 

Optional: Cut more Oeros in half and pave around bottom edge of cake. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is NO DESSERT I love more than a soft, chewy, thick, 

chocolate chip cookie.  

I like mine with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and not too much vanilla.  No raisins, no nuts, no oatmeal. 

So if you like crunchy cookies, or thin ones, or milk chocolate, then go ahead and skip this recipe.  

Sometimes when I'm in a hurry (or just want to self indulge in the goodness) and don't have time to scoop out three dozen cookies and bake in batches, I press the entire bowl of dough into a 9x13 glass baking pan and bake for about 17 minutes.  If I need to serve them, I cut them up into squares.   Honestly, I kind of like them better as bars.

Also great dough for spoozokies.

  (Half bake dough in a single serving bakeware, remove from oven and top with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup- or whatever the heck you want.  You get the idea.)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp cornstarch (yes, cornstarch)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

at least 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars, egg and vanilla in electric mixer with paddle attachment.  

Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  

Stir in chocolate chips.  

Bake cookies @350 for 8-10 minutes a batch  (no more than ten minutes)

OR

press into a 9x13 pan and bake @350 for 17-20 minutes

OR

 triple the recipe and freeze four dozen for cravings.

Nutella Brownies

My brother brought this recipe back from Italy.   They're not your sweetest brownies, but their not dark chocolate either...  My suggestion, if you're worried about getting a super sweet brownie, reduce the amount of cocoa.  Instead of 3/4 cup, make it like 1/2 cup plus a tablespoon or just 1/2 cup?   I made them in a 9 x 9 here and they're extra deep and thick.  They can also be brought up in a 9 x 13 pan.  LOVE    And I've been heard to say "brownies never turn out as good as when you make them from a box".   This is the huge exception.

Nutella Brownies!

3/4 c melted butter
2 c sugar
1 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
4 large OR 5 medium eggs
2 big scoops of nutella (peanut butter will work but then there is a nutty taste)
Grease and flour pan bake at 350 until fork inserted comes out clean ( or until you freaking think they're done)

9x9 pan about 30-35 minutes

9x13 pan about 22 minutes