For Valentine's Day: Say It With Chocolate
Published 4:04 pm Tuesday, February 8, 2011
It's easy to understand the connection between Valentine's Day and those heart-shaped boxes. The fondness for chocolate is universal – a real case of love at first bite!
Chocolate was originally a product of the New World – Europeans who invaded Mexico in 1519 were the first to see chocolate in common use. Columbus reportedly took chocolate back to Spain with him – and the rest, as they say, is history.
Nutritionally speaking, many studies link cocoa and dark chocolate with health benefits. Cocoa and chocolate contain a large amount of antioxidants (flavinoids) that may keep high blood pressure down and reduce the blood's ability to clot, thus the risk of stroke and heart attacks may be reduced. The darker chocolate with the most concentrated cocoa is the most beneficial. Like all good things in life, chocolate should be enjoyed in moderation for maximum health benefits.
Today's recipes, all about chocolate, are: Warm Chocolate Pizza Cookie, two easy recipes using cake mixes – Double Chocolate Chewies and Milk Chocolate Pound Cake, and an old-time favorite, Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.
1 c. flour, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, 6 T. margarine or butter, 1/3 c. sugar, 1/3 c. packed brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 lg. egg, 6 oz. semisweet chocolate broken into pieces, 1/2 c. walnuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease large cookie sheet. On waxed paper, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In 3-quart saucepan melt margarine or butter over medium heat. Remove saucepan from heat. With wire whisk stir in sugars, vanilla and egg until mixed. With spoon, stir in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Spoon batter onto center of cookie sheet and with spatula flatten and spread into 8-inch round. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until cookie is golden brown. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes, then slice warm cookie into 16 wedges. Eat immediately or cook and wrap in foil. To serve warm, reheat in 375 degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
1 devil's food cake mix, 1/3 c. water, 1/4 c. butter, melted, 1 egg, 1 c. chocolate chips, 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheets with nonstick spray. Place cake mix, water, melted butter and egg in large bowl. Beat on low speed one minute. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to medium; beat one minute. Dough will be thick. Fold in chips and nuts. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake in 350 degree oven until cookies have set but are still a little soft in center, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets on wire rack one minute. Remove cookies with a metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
4 (1.5-oz.) bars milk chocolate, 1 yellow cake mix, 1 (3.4-oz.) vanilla instant pudding, 1 c. sour cream, 1/2 c. oil, 4 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 T. confectioners' sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Dust with flour; shake out excess. Break chocolate bars into 1 inch pieces; place in food processor. Pulse 12 to 15 times until candy is grated but not a powder. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Beat on low speed for one minute. Stop and scrape sides of bowl. Increase speed to medium; beat two minutes. Fold in chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in 350 degree oven 55 minutes or until golden and top springs back when lightly pressed. Remove pan to wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Run long knife along edge of cake; invert onto rack to cool completely. Place cake on serving platter. Sift confectioners' sugar over top. Serves 16.
1 tsp. baking soda, 1 c. boiling water, 1 c. walnuts, chopped, 1 c. dates, chopped, 1 c. sugar, 1 c. mayonnaise, 6 T. unsweetened chocolate, grated, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 c. cake flour, Fudge Frosting
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 x 9x 2-inch square pan. Stir together baking soda and boiling water in medium size bowl until baking soda is dissolved. Stir in nuts and dates. With mixer at low speed, beat sugar and mayonnaise in large bowl until well blended. Add chocolate and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add date mixture; beat until blended. Gradually beat in flour until smooth. Turn into prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream or frost with Fudge Frosting.
Fudge Frosting: Stir together 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup Hershey's syrup, 1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa, 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/2 tsp. vanilla in small bowl until blended.
