Today Dishing: Seriously Chocolatey Desserts

 Now that it's February, it's time to start considering luscious desserts for Valentine's Day. Today, for your consideration, I offer two super chocolatey desserts from this month's bon appetit.

The first is  Glazed Chocolate-Creme Fraiche cookies. If you  are truly  a chocoholic, you will simply love these, but you must be super fond of dark chocolate. These are easy to make and the recipe makes 48 cookies. These were a big hit at my house and the entire 48 were gone in less than 24 hours.

                                                  

INGREDIENTS

• 20 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped, divided
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ cups (packed) brown sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream

Nutritional Information

Calories (kcal) 110 Fat (g) 7 Saturated Fat (g) 4 Cholesterol (mg) 25 Carbohydrates (g) 13 Dietary Fiber (g) 1 Total Sugars (g) 11 Protein (g) 1 Sodium (mg) 65

PREPARATION

View Step-by-Step Directions

• Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Heat 8 oz. chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring until chocolate is melted; let cool slightly. Reserve saucepan for melting more chocolate for glaze.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs and crème fraîche and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in melted chocolate; reserve chocolate bowl. Mix in dry ingredients just to combine; fold in 8 oz. chopped chocolate. Cover and chill dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.
                                   
  
• Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2” apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are set but centers are still slightly soft, 15–18 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.
• Melt remaining 4 oz. chocolate in reserved bowl set over reserved saucepan of simmering water. Let chocolate cool slightly, then dip or drizzle cookies with chocolate as desired. Let sit until chocolate is set, 15–20 minutes.
• DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.
  
                                          
                                                      
  
  This second recipe is Darkest Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Glaze and again it is only for serious dark chocolate lovers. The cake itself calls for only 1/3 cup of flour so it has the consistency of a flourless chocolate cake. The red wine adds depth to the glaze which is deliciously extraordinary.  I am serving this as my  Super Bowl dinner dessert.
  
                                         

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Glaze and Assembly

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), finely chopped
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup red wine (such as Pinot Noir)

Nutritional Information

Calories (kcal) 550 Fat (g) 63 Saturated Fat (g) 24 Cholesterol (mg) 145 Carbohydrates (g) 47 Dietary Fiber (g) 3 Total Sugars (g) 37 Protein (g) 6 Sodium (mg) 270

PREPARATION

View Step-by-Step Directions

special equipment:

• A 9” springform pan

Cake

• Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly butter and flour pan. Heat chocolate, sugar, and 1 cup butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring, until chocolate is almost completely melted, about 3 minutes; remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool completely.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, add eggs to chocolate mixture 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat until mixture has a mousse-like consistency. Reduce speed to low and add salt and ⅓ cup flour; mix until smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake cake until top is firm and edges are slightly darkened, 55–65 minutes (rely on visual cues; a tester inserted into cake’s center will come out clean before cake is truly done). Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan before turning out.

Glaze and assembly

• Heat chocolate, butter, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring, until chocolate and butter are melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in powdered sugar.
• Meanwhile, bring wine just to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Remove chocolate mixture from heat and whisk in wine; let cool until slightly thickened and a rubber spatula leaves a trail in mixture when stirring, 8–10 minutes.
• Set cake on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over cake and spread it across the top and over the edges with an offset spatula. Let cake stand at room temperature until glaze is set, 2–3 hours.
• DO AHEAD: Cake can be made and glazed 2 days ahead. Chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
                          
  
  
                              Bon Appetit!!!!