Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I don't make or eat a lot of fruity cupcakes. I like them, but the chocoholic in me almost always goes for something else- like a Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake or a Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Nutella Buttercream. However, an abundance of fresh berries persuaded me to try something new and these Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream were an immediate hit.

I made these cupcakes for a surprise bridal luncheon for my boss who is getting married this weekend. I thought the bright pink color of the buttercream was perfect for the occasion. At the end of our lunch, the waiter passed out these cupcakes, which were placed in plastic cups and wrapped in plastic bags tied with ribbon. On top of each cupcake was a little heart topper that said "I Do". However, I also think it would be fun to garnish them with fresh raspberries. The buttercream was perfectly sweet and was a nice compliment to the dark chocolate cupcakes. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
Cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart, Buttercream adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, warm water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.

Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a food processor or blender, puree the raspberries. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any seeds. Beat the butter, raspberry puree and 2 cups powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Yesterday I shared a recipe for homemade chocolate syrup. This is my very favorite way to enjoy chocolate syrup- drizzled over a warm chocolate chip cookie or brownie topped with ice cream. It seriously does not get any better than that. 

I have always wanted to try baking a giant chocolate chip cookie in a cast-iron skillet. In many ways, it is even easier than baking a regular batch of chocolate chip cookies because you don't need to scoop out any cookie dough. Just spread the dough in a even layer and bake. Easy peasy. And there is nothing more satisfying than pulling a 10-inch cookie out of the oven. You can let the cookie cool completely before serving, but I totally recommend eating it warm out of the oven. Served with ice cream and chocolate syrup, you have yourself a truly decadent and delicious dessert.

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Recipe from Cooking Classy

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup  granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp molasses

1 1/2 tbsp french vanilla coffee creamer powder

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 

In a stand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, molasses and coffee creamer powder until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the mixer. Mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and add the chocolate chips. Gently fold with a rubber spatula. 

Butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Spread the cookie into an even layer in the prepared skillet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown in color. Allow the skillet to cool on a cooling rack. Serve with ice cream and chocolate syrup, if desired.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Lately I have been all about baking with fresh fruit. It seems like the summer is flying by and before you know it fall will be here. I want to take advantage of the fresh berries that are in season right now as much as I can before it is time to break out the pumpkin. But as much as I love strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, I am a chocolate girl all the way. I would take a chocolate cupcake over a fruity cupcake any day. So this weekend I took a break from baking with fruit and instead I made all things chocolate.

Up first was this bottle of homemade chocolate syrup. I love making things completely from scratch and chocolate syrup has been on my list to make for quite a while now. This version is super simple to make and only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. It makes really good chocolate milk, however, I have surprisingly never been a fan of chocolate milk. Instead I drizzled this syrup on a number of desserts that came out of my kitchen this weekend, along with a giant scoop of ice cream. It was perfection. Check back later this week to see what I made!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup
Recipe from Annie's Eats (originally from 52 Kitchen Adventures)

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk to break up any clumps in the mixture. Add the water and salt to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Store the mixture in the refrigerator between uses.

Chocolate Chunk Blondies

After I made these Chocolate Chunk Blondies, I realized that everyone needs a good blondie recipe in their baking repertoire. So often I get caught up in baking with specialty ingredients that I overlook recipes for the basics. Thanks to this recipe I now have a go-to blondie recipe that is sure to please everyone. Who could turn down a blondie packed with melted chocolate chunks and walnuts?

This is my first month participating in the Pass the Cookbook Club, organized by Kita of Pass the Sushi. I am so excited to cook each month with the group, try new recipes and meet some new people along the way. I was equally as excited to find out that this month we were selecting recipes from Ina Garten's book, Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust. My mom and I have always been huge fans of Ina and all of her recipes. I actually remember watching the Barefoot Contessa episode where Ina makes these blondies a few months ago but never got around to making them until now. Interestingly enough, I remember that the recipe below not only results in thick and chewy blondies, but can also be used to make thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies. I definitely plan on making this recipe again in cookie form. I don't think you can go wrong either way!

Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Recipe from Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 1/2 x 13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer of low speed, add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. With the mixer still on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Turn off the mixer and add the walnuts and chocolate chunks. Gently fold with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut into 12 bars before serving.

S'mores Bites

Like I often do during the summer, I was really craving s'mores over the weekend. But with temperatures almost reaching 100 degrees, it is unlikely that many people had a campfire going long enough to make real s'mores. Sometimes you just need to improvise to get your s'mores fix. These mini S'mores Bites were the perfect improvisation and definitely satisfied my craving. And the best part is that you only need three ingredients and five minutes to make them. 

In order to mimic traditional toasted s'mores, you put the graham crackers, each topped with a marshmallow, under the broiler for a few minutes. Whatever you do, don't step away from the oven. The marshmallows will turn golden brown very quickly and you don't want to burn them. If you have a kitchen torch, you could also use that for even more control. Either way, I highly recommend toasting your marshmallows because that is the best part of s'mores. 

S'mores Bites
Recipe from Cooking Classy

6 graham cracker sheets
6 large marshmallows, cut into halves (12 halves total)
12 Hershey's Kisses

Break each graham cracker sheet in half. Using a small circular cookie cutter, cut each graham cracker half into a circle. Place a marshmallow on top of each circle, sticky side down. Align the graham crackers in the center of a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place the cookie sheet under the broiler for a few minutes. Do not walk away. As soon as the marshmallows turn golden brown in color, remove them from the oven. Place a Hershey's Kiss on top of each marshmallow and gently press down. Serve immediately.

Homemade Raspberry Seltzer

Nine times out of ten, seltzer water is my drink of choice. Other than regular water, I don't really drink anything else other than seltzer water. To be honest, I would rather save my calories and sugar intake for a cookie or a cupcake. And there is nothing more refreshing than a cold glass of seltzer water, especially during the hot summer months.

I first tried this Homemade Raspberry Seltzer at a recent visit to Flour Bakery, one of my very favorite bakeries in Boston. Not only do they make the best croissants and other pastries, but their Homemade Raspberry Seltzer has quickly become one of my favorite things on their menu. It is light and refreshing, not to mention perfectly sweet from the raspberry-infused syrup. When I came across the recipe in Flour's new cookbook, I knew I had to try making it at home. It is so easy to make and just as good as I remember it being at the bakery. This drink has definitely earned a spot in my seltzer rotation and I can't wait to experiment with other flavor combinations in the future.

Homemade Raspberry Seltzer
Recipe from Flour, Too by Joanne Chang

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/4 cups seltzer water for each drink

In a small saucepan set above high heat, combine the fresh raspberries, granulated sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let steep for 1 hour.

Transfer the raspberry mixture to a blender and puree. Strain the mixture through a sieve placed over a bowl in order to remove the raspberry seeds. Add the lemon juice and lime juice. Stir until combined.

For each drink, add 3 tablespoons of raspberry syrup to the bottom of a tall glass. Fill the glass with ice and then add 1 1/4 cups seltzer water. Stir until combined and serve immediately.

Blueberry Bagels

This is my first month participating in the Kitchen Challenge organized by Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil. Every month I read about the challenge and consider joining in on the fun. I really wanted to make croissants and macarons a few months ago, but never got around to doing so. July's Kitchen Challenge was to make a batch of homemade bagels, another thing on my long list of things to conquer in the kitchen. Instead of skipping the challenge once again, I decided that this would be the month to participate and overcome my fear of yeast. Over the past few years, I have experimented with yeast but have never had great results. Part of the problem was that I didn't know the difference between dry active yeast and rapid rise yeast. This time I was prepared and went to the store with a list of ingredients    for my bagels, including active dry yeast and bread flour (rather than regular all-purpose flour). 

After deciding to participate in the challenge, I spent a lot of time searching for the perfect recipe to make. Most bagel recipes take two days to make, including an overnight resting period in the refrigerator. With my busy schedule, I didn't want to spend that much time on one recipe and settled on these Blueberry Bagels which only took a few hours from start to finish. I never knew that homemade bagels could be so easy to make and still taste so good. These blueberry bagels were perfectly soft and chewy. I can't wait to participate in future Kitchen Challenges!

Blueberry Bagels
Recipe adapted from Galley Gourmet

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups warm warm (approximately 110 degrees F)
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp lemon zest
1 cup freeze dried blueberries

In a large measuring cup, combine the yeast, granulated sugar and warm water. Let sit for about 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes foamy. 

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, salt, ground cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix until just combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. You might need to add additional water to the bowl in order for the dough to come together. Knead the dough on low speed for about 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Remove the dough from the mixer and gently knead in the dried blueberries by hand. 

Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour or until it has nearly doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Once the dough has risen, gently press down on it with your hands. Allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 pieces of approximately equal size. Shape each piece of dough into a ball and use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle of each ball. Each hole should be about 2 inches in size. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and continue with the remaining dough. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for another 10-15 minutes. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop 2 bagels at a time into the boiling water. Boil for 1 minutes then flip each bagel over and boil for another minute. Using a strainer, remove the bagels from the water and place them on a second baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue with the remaining bagels. Bake the bagels for about 20 minutes or until golden brown in color. Transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Blueberry Muffins

In my opinion, you can never have enough blueberry muffin recipes in your baking repertoire. After all, blueberry muffins are the muffins of all muffins. Even though I already have two blueberry muffin recipes on the blog, that did not stop me from going out and finding another recipe that I love and now cannot live without. 

Since the recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, it should come as no surprise that a unique method is used to make these blueberry muffins. You actually make a batch of homemade blueberry jam, which is then swirled into the top of each muffin before baking. I loved the addition of the blueberry jam, as well as the lemon sugar topping which was the perfect complement to all of the blueberries. Now you can see why I had no choice but to add this recipe to the archives. 

Blueberry Muffins

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated

Yield: 12 muffins

Lemon Sugar Topping:

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Muffins:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 1/8 cups plus 1 tsp granulated sugar, divided

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp table salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping, combine the lemon zest and sugar in a small bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the ingredients together until fragrant. Set aside.

For the muffins, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine 1 cup of blueberries with 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Use the back of a spoon to smash the blueberries and stir frequently. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together  1 1/8 cups granulated sugar and the eggs. Add the melted butter, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully incorporated. Add the wet ingredients and the remaining blueberries into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Add one teaspoon of blueberry jam to each cup. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the jam into the batter. Sprinkle the lemon sugar topping over the muffins.

Bake for 18-19 minutes or until golden brown in color. Transfer the muffin pan to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

I think I could eat Panera everyday for lunch and never get sick of it. I literally love every soup and salad on their menu. Even though there are a million different lunch options in downtown Boston, I always find myself at the Panera conveniently located across from my office. 

One of my favorite soups at Panera is the Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. It is light and refreshing, even during the hot summer months. I don't know about you, but I crave soup all year-round. What makes this one of my favorite summer soups is that it is not overly rich or heavy like some of my other favorites soups can be. And the lemon flavor is present, but not overpowering. What are your favorite soups to enjoy during the summer months?

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light (via Tide and Thyme)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
8 cups chicken broth
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
1 bay leaf
8 oz. (1.5 cups) orzo
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce to low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes.

Add the shredded chicken and orzo. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the orzo is tender.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the fresh parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Oil Brownies

Happy Monday! My boyfriend and I just got back from a long weekend in New York City. While I wouldn't want to live there, it is always fun to visit the city for a few days. Throughout the weekend, we visited a number of bakeries and I can't wait to share some of the highlights of the trip soon. You can definitely say that I had my fair share of cupcakes and cookies this past weekend.

Right before the 4th of July, I made a batch of Coconut Oil Brownies to bring to a gathering with my boyfriend's family. These Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies quickly became the most popular post on my blog and with good reason. I love the sweet yet subtle coconut flavor that coconut oil gives to baked goods. With half a jar still left in my pantry, I was eager to make these Coconut Oil Brownies. In my opinion, these brownies are just as good as the cookies and are a recipe that I will always turn to when I have extra coconut oil hanging around.

Coconut Oil Brownies

Recipe from Handle the Heat

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, meleted

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the  baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift out the brownies after baking. Spray the aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted chocolate, coconut oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and bakings soda. Mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the brownies are set but still moist.

Allow the brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into square and serve. 

Strawberry Soup

I have been a huge Disney girl ever since I went to the parks for the first time in high school. I love everything about Disney- the rides, the atmosphere and of course the amazing food. Seriously Disney has some of the best food I have ever had on vacation. And like many other things, the chefs seem to put a magical touch on all of the food that comes out of the Disney kitchens. I don't know where to begin talking about all of the food at Disney. I think my favorite thing to do is walk around Epcot and enjoy all of the food from the different countries at the world showcase. If you have never been to Epcot during the annual Wine and Dine Festival, you must go. I have talked about it before, but it is awesome and provides a great opportunity to sample foods from around the world. 

Even the food from the Disney street vendors is amazing. If you have ever had the a Dole Whip or the churros, then you know what I am talking about. And of course I can never resist a Mickey's Ears Ice Cream Bar. Finally, I love Disney's  Strawberry Soup, which I first tried at the Grand Floridian Hotel a few years ago. When I came across the recipe for this famous soup, I knew I had to try it. It is cool, refreshing and reminds me of the many reasons why I love Disney so much.

Strawberry Soup

Recipe from Delicious Disney by The Disney Chefs with Pam Brandon (via Culinary Covers)

2 ½ lb frozen strawberries, thawed with juice

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

1/3 cup plain yogurt

½ tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp honey

Fresh strawberries, halved, for garnish

Combine the strawberries, heavy cream, sour cream and plain yogurt in a blender. Mix at low speed until a smooth consistency is reached. Add sugar and honey. Mix for a few more seconds until combined. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh strawberries. 

Parmesan Truffle Tater Tots

Have you guys tried truffle oil? It is honestly one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. Truffle oil, similar to brown butter, is just one of those ingredients that makes a number of foods taste better. I first tried truffle macaroni and cheese a few years ago and fell in love. Ever since I ordered it off the menu at a local restaurant, I have been dreaming about that meal and how I can recreate it at home. There is also a local food truck that sells hand-cut truffle french fries with fresh rosemary. Ah-mazing. And then more recently I went to a restaurant that serves truffle tater tots.

Two weeks ago I set out to experiment with my new bottle of truffle oil. By the way- I purchased my bottle at a specialty olive oil shop, but I have also seen it at local supermarkets and kitchen stores, like Sur la Table. At first I considered making homemade french fries, but time constraints brought me back to the idea of truffle tater tots. In the future I plan to try french fries and even homemade tater tots. But if you are new user of truffle oil, these Parmesan Truffle Tater Tots are a great way to test it out.

Parmesan Truffle Tater Tots
Recipe adapted from My Life as a Mrs.

4 cups tater tots, frozen
4 tsp truffle oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 tsp dried parsley
Pinch of salt

Place tater tots on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake according to package directions.

While still hot, combine the cooked tater tots with the truffle oil, parmesan cheese and dried parsley in a large bowl. Gently toss to evenly coat the tater tots. Add salt to taste and serve immediately.

Almond Flour M&M Brownies

 

I hope everyone had a good 4th of July. I just got back from a long weekend at the Cape where the temperatures were well over 90 degrees almost everyday. It was definitely good beach weather, if anything too hot at times. And I only came home with a small sunburn, which is always a win because I have the most sensitive skin ever. Since I was away from my own kitchen, I didn't make any new recipes for the holiday, but I do have some recipes from the week before that I am excited to share.

I first made these almond flour M&M brownies last month and have loved them ever since. I have been meaning to experiment with almond flour and other gluten-free options for quite a while now. While I do not have a gluten-free diet myself, I know many people who do for various health reasons. These brownies are incredibly rich and chewy. The instant expresso powder gives them a rich kick and trust me when I say that you don't even miss the all-purpose flour in this recipe. 

Almond Flour M&M Brownies
Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures (originally adapted from The Wannabe Chef)

5 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant expresso powder
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup mini M&M's

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides in order to lift the brownies after baking. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Combine the semisweet chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Add the cocoa powder and instant expresso powder. Whisk until combined. Set aside the bowl to cool slightly.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the chocolate mixture to the bowl and whisk until fully combined. Finally add the almond flour. Mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the mini M&M's over the brownie batter. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

New York Style Crumb Cake

Does anyone else miss Google Reader as much as I do? I signed up for Feedly a few weeks ago, but kept using Google Reader up until the last minute. Anyways, Feedly has been down all day and I am still not caught up on the day's blog posts. Hopefully all of the kinks get worked out soon. Catching up on other blogs while I eat breakfast is one of my very favorite parts of the day. 

Anyways, this past weekend I made this new york style crumb cake for Dan who loves all breakfast foods made with brown sugar or cinnamon. Cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, crumb cake- you name it and he loves it all. I love this particular recipe because of the thick layer of crumb topping. The crumb topping is almost as thick as the cake itself. If you ask me, the more crumb topping, the better!

New York Style Crumb Cake
Recipe from Cook's Illustrated

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour

Cake:
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened but cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salted and melted butter. Add the cake flour. Mix with a spatula until combined. Allow the mixture to cool completely, about 10-15 minutes.

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on each side so that you can lift the crumb cake out after baking. Spray the aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat on low speed to combine. With the mixer still on low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time. Mix until the mixture is crumbly, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and buttermilk. Increase the speed to medium-high. Mix until light and fluffy or about 1-2 minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the cake batter. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the crumb topping is golden brown in color. An inserted toothpick should come out ocean. Allow the crumb cake to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes or a cooling rack. Cut into squares and serve.