IF you think of Montezuma, instead of cursing him for the "revenge" suffered by travelers throughout the ages, praise him for introducing the world to chocolate.
Try to imagine our lives without it - aarrghh! What would we turn to when we're down in the dumps, when our relationships fizzle or we're having a bad hair day?
Valentine's Day, Easter and Hallowe'en sure wouldn't be the same. Thankfully we don't have to contemplate a world without chocolate. Celebrate that thought by making one of these fabulous chocolate treats . . . or all of them. Don't think about the calories, think of it as therapy.
Triple Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate bar)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or chopped milk chocolate bar)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease rimless baking sheets or line them with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time; beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Add to butter mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in both kinds of chocolate. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until firm to the touch and no longer glossy, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies.
OMG Chocolate Squares
These take a little while to prepare, but you'll never regret making them!
Base:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Dutch process cocoa
¼ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt
1 cup butter (pref. unsalted), melted and cooled
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Frosting:
3¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp icing sugar
1 ?8 tsp salt
½ cup butter, melted and cooled
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
¼ cup milk
2 Tbsp light cream (Creamo) 1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9x9x2inch square baking pan, then line with parchment paper (easiest if you cut two nineinch wide strips and put one in pan crosswise and the other one crosswise in the other direction).
Base: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Whisk the melted butter and chocolate in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl to blend well, then add granulated sugar. Whisk until just combined, then whisk in the butter/ chocolate mixture and vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients over the top and mix with a wooden spoon until all particles of flour are absorbed into the batter.
Scrape into the baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for approx. 35 minutes or until the centre is just set. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
Frosting: Combine icing sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter and chocolate together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Add the milk, cream and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat the frosting on moderately low speed until creamy and very well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl several times. (Don't beat on high speed or it will become too fluffy).
Immediately place large dollops of the frosting evenly over the warm base and gently spread it out smoothly to cover the top.
Let the completed squares cool in the pan on a wire rack for three to four hours until completely cool and set. When cool cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into four squares with a small sharp knife. Makes 16 squares.
Mars Bar Sauce
Slice bananas over vanilla or chocolate ice cream and top with this luscious sauce.
2 regular size Mars Bars (not king-size)
¾ cup whipping cream
Chop the Mars Bars into small pieces and combine with cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
Stir constantly until completely melted together and sauce is silky smooth (this can take a while). Serve warm.
