Chocolate Heaven

Did you know that Tuesday October 28 was National Chocolate Day? Did you miss it or get a chance to indulge? I didn’t know we needed a National chocolate day to celebrate that luscious, divine ingredient. I’m personally okay with celebrating with a little chocolate on almost any day but okay, let’s refill our chocolate drawer at work, grab a box on the way home and make a killer chocolate dessert to enjoy before, or after, dinner.

Chocolate Biscotti

Makes 2 dozen cookies

• ½ cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons soymilk or nondairy creamer
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 2-3/4 cups flour
• ½ cup chocolate chips (regular or miniature)
• ½ cup chopped toasted almonds (optional)
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon water
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixer, cream margarine and sugar. Add baking powder, eggs, yolk and soymilk and mix well. Beat in cocoa and flour. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Divide dough in half and shape into logs. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Combine egg white and water and brush on top of logs. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool slightly. Slice and return to oven for about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Cake with Praline Topping

Serves 12

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, room temperature
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 cup soymilk
• ½ tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons pareve whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) margarine, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Praline

• 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pareve whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment. Spray parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.

Place margarine and cocoa powder in medium bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over; stir. Let stand 2 minutes; whisk until blended. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and coarse salt in another medium bowl. Whisk soymilk, vinegar, egg, and vanilla in large bowl. Gradually whisk cocoa mixture into soymilk mixture; whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, whisking to blend between additions (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around pan edges to release cake. Invert onto rack; remove pan and parchment. Cool completely.

Ganache

Place chocolate and pareve cream in microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir in margarine. Let stand until spreadable, about 30 minutes. Spread over top and sides of cake. Transfer cake to plate. Chill 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Praline Topping

Stir brown sugar, pareve whipping cream, and margarine in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until margarine melts. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add pecans; stir just to incorporate. Quickly pour praline over cake. Spread just to edges (topping sets quickly). DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome. Store at room temperature.

Chocolate Babka Cupcakes

Makes 18 – 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 2 sticks margarine, room temperature
• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups tofutti sour cream
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1-tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1-teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel topping:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped, toasted (toast them, it really gives a better flavor)
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Pinch kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Place paper liners in 24 cupcake/muffin cups.

Place all the cupcake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat, by hand, or with a mixer fitted with a paddle, until smooth and satiny. Divide the batter in half.

Make the streusel:

Place all the streusel ingredients together and stir to combine. Divide in half.

Place a heaping tablespoon of cupcake batter into each cupcake tin using a total of half of the batter. Using half of the streusel topping, drizzle some streusel over each tablespoon of batter. Top with the remaining batter in each cupcake and top with remaining streusel topping. The cupcakes should be layered, cupcake batter, streusel, and batter and topped with streusel.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Allow to cool.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Makes about 16 pancakes

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ¼ cup flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 6 ounces chocolate chips
• Butter for cooking

In a small saucepan, combine butter and milk. Place over low heat just until warm and the butter is melted. Cool.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir gently.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs with a fork. Whisk in milk mixture. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter and melt until bubbly.

Ladle 3 tablespoons batter for each pancake onto the hot surface and cook until bubbles begin to form on the edges.

Add chocolate chips to the top of the pancakes.

Cook for ten seconds and then turn and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 30 seconds more. Repeat with the rest of the batter.