chocolate Archives - Page 7 of 8 -

October 20, 2014

Pistachio Almond Baked Donuts

How did it take me so long to buy a donut pan?! For a long time I kept convincing myself that I did not need another specialty baking pan, but after seeing this recipe, I finally decided that I could go no longer without a donut pan. Now I wish someone had convinced me that I needed a donut pan a long time ago. In terms of cookware, donut pans are relatively inexpensive and they take up very little space. I think this could possibly be my best purchase of 2014.

Baked donuts have brought such a welcome change from the usual muffins and quick breads that I often bake. Shape indeed does make a difference. Since I have been making them mostly for breakfast, I wanted to create a recipe that was whole-grain and refined sugar-free. These Pistachio Almond Baked Donuts are a combination of some of my favorite flavors. They are made with whole wheat pastry flour and ground pistachios, lightly sweetened with coconut sugar and honey, and finished with a dark chocolate glaze. I like these best served warm out of the oven.

Pistachio Almond Baked Donuts

Serves: 6 donuts

Ingredients

Donuts

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
⅓ cup finely ground pistachios, plus extra for sprinkling on top
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 egg
⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1½ teaspoon almond extract

Glaze

1.5 ounces dark chocolate
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Donuts

Preheat the oven to 400.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, and salt.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, butter, coconut sugar, honey, and almond extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined. Do not over mix.
Pipe the mixture evenly into the donut pan. (I use a small ziploc bag and cut the tip off one corner for piping.)
Bake for 10 minutes, until donuts are light golden brown. Let cool in pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Dip donuts in chocolate glaze and sprinkle with additional ground pistachios. Donuts are best served slightly warm.

Glaze

Melt chocolate and coconut oil together in a double boiler or in a microwave. If using a microwave, heat for 15 second intervals and stir after each interval. When chocolate is almost completely melted, remove from heat and stir until smooth. Stir in almond extract.

September 25, 2014

Frozen Chocolate Banana Pops

Yes, it’s now officially the first week of Fall and I am already taking a break from Fall flavors to discuss the awesomeness of these frozen chocolate banana pops. I had been saving these cute wooden sticks from The TomKat Studio for what seems like forever and I finally decided that these frozen banana pops were worthy of their use.

Eating these take me back to carefree childhood days and I feel like I’m eating something completely indulgent, except they are actually not so bad for you since they are basically just frozen bananas wrapped in some dark chocolate. Banana pops are fun and simple to make. First, cut each peeled banana into small pieces and insert a wooden stick into each piece. (I cut the bananas into fourths and cut the tips off of the ends so that each piece had a more uniform shape.) Next, freeze the bananas for at least a couple of hours. It’s important to be patient and not skip this step. Now is when the fun begins! Melt the chocolate with a bit of coconut oil so that the chocolate becomes slightly thinned and velvety smooth. Take the frozen banana pop and quickly dip it into the melted chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate (is there such a thing as excess chocolate?!) to drip off the banana and watch it solidify into a yummy chocolate shell. If you want to add a topping, dip the chocolate covered banana into the topping before the chocolate completely solidifies. If you wait too long, the toppings will not stick, but if you dip too soon, you will have a sticky mess. Takes a little practice, but you will get it, I promise. I think I am going to go order a huge supply of these wooden sticks because from now on, we are going to be making these all of the time. I’m thinking birthday parties, playdates, family nights…. chocolate banana pops for everyone. Oooh yeah.

Frozen Chocolate Banana Pops

Serves: 16-20 pops

Ingredients

2 3.5-ounce dark chocolate bars (I used bars with 72% cacao)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut oil
4-5 bananas, cut into pieces
sprinkles, coconut, or crushed peanuts for dipping

Instructions

Insert wooden stick into each banana piece. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
Set a small glass mixing bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water and place the chocolate and coconut oil in the mixing bowl. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate into a medium sized glass for easier dipping.
Quickly dip each frozen banana piece into the melted chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. After the excess chocolate has dripped off, but before the chocolate is completely solidified, dip the chocolate into desired topping. Serve immediately or return to freezer to serve later.

May 12, 2014

Chocolate Milkshake {with raw cacao}

For some time now, our family has been enjoying these Healthy Chocolate Milkshakes from A Couple Cooks. Everyone I’ve made these for is surprised when they find out these milkshakes are dairy-free and refined sugar-free. They are so creamy, chocolate-y, and delicious. I recently tried making these milkshakes with raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder and it has the same delicious taste with an added boost of nutrients. Raw cacao powder has transformed our dessert life. Because cacao powder is cold-pressed and kept at low temperatures, it is extremely high in antioxidants and has a variety of health benefits. Although cocoa powder is derived from the same cacao nibs as cacao powder, many of the antioxidants are destroyed during the production process when the cocoa is roasted at high heat. I do not claim to be any type of nutritional expert, but I have also read that dairy interferes with the absorption of nutrients from cacao. The coconut milk in these milkshakes allows for the full health benefits of the cacao powder. Besides being healthy though, these chocolate milkshakes just taste so so good. We love them and I hope you do too!

Chocolate Milkshake {with raw cacao}

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 can light coconut milk (not boxed coconut milk)
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
5-7 medjool dates, pitted
½ teaspoon vanilla
toasted coconut and dark chocolate chunks, for garnish

Instructions

Shake the can of coconut milk well before opening it. Reserve half a cup of coconut milk in a separate glass and refrigerate. Pour the remaining coconut milk into an ice cube tray and freeze.
Using a high-speed blender, blend together the frozen coconut milk cubes, cacao powder, medjool dates, vanilla, and reserved coconut milk until creamy and smooth.
Garnish with toasted coconut and chocolate chunks and serve immediately.

Notes

slightly adapted from A Couple Cooks via Edible Perspective