No-bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

 

No-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies. Sounds unassuming, right? Maybe even sounds a touch healthy. But these little gems just melt in your mouth and taste absolutely amazing. I'm not even sure where I got the recipe. Many moons ago, I got a similar recipe from my high school English teacher who had made something she called boiled cookies. It is a very similar recipe, but just slightly different. Here's the card I filled out at least 30 years ago... and this one has definitely survived the test of time. If you've never tried them, you'll want to hurry to the store for the ingredients, because they are so worth it!

2 cups sugar (400 grams)
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
4 ounces evaporated milk (1/2 cup)
4 ounces unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (180 grams)

3 cups oatmeal

I rarely ever make a single batch of these cookies, so you will see that my measurements look rather large. I made a quadruple batch in these photos.

In a pot large enough for your ingredients, combine the sugar, cocoa, butter, and evaporated milk and turn heat to medium-high. 

While that begins to heat up, measure out the vanilla, peanut butter, and oats to ensure a smooth and swift mixing process. You will also want to lay out parchment paper on several baking sheets or your counter. I normally just use the kitchen counter.

Bring the cocoa mixture to a roiling boil, stirring frequently. Not a light bubbling boil, but you want the mixture twisting and turning and bubbling everywhere. 

Add the vanilla and peanut butter and stir until smooth and creamy and you no longer see ribbons of peanut butter.

Stir in the oats and ensure they are disbursed throughout the mixture evenly.

Use a cookie scoop to make your cookies consistent and evenly sized. The scoop also makes it easier to get through the mixture before it cools and hardens. And you will want to move quickly. Once the mixture cools, you're just going to get crumbs - not cookies.

Let the cookies cool at least 30 minutes before trying to move them. Once you're able to pick them up, store the cookies, minus what you eat while packing them, in a sealed container. These will last for a couple of weeks if stored properly.

Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Again with the chocolate. I know. I have a problem. But it is such a delicious problem. It's double chocolate. Chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips... oh my! I'll take chocolate in nearly every concoction conceivable. I search for chocolate recipes to try. This one here though, I didn't have to search for. This recipe I bought and brought right into my home. Years ago, this recipe used to be on the back of Nestle's white chocolate chips, but then they replaced it. It was so good that I searched for it so that I could make them again. Here's Nestle's recipe: White Chip Chocolate Cookies. These cookies are amazing. They are so soft and the texture is almost like a brownie, but the white chocolate add a wonderful flavor. The only improvement I made to the original recipe is some instant espresso to intensify the chocolate flavor.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2-1 tsp instant espresso
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12-oz. pkg. white chocolate chips



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, espresso, and salt.



Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy.



Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix well.



Gradually beat in flour mixture.



Stir in morsels.



Use a 1-inch or 1.5-inch cookie scoop to portion cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.



Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are just set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. These cookies will be very soft for a while, but they set more as the cool, so do not overcook them.

Mounds Cake

Oh. My. Gosh. This cake was soooooo very decadent. Just pure chocolatey, coconutty, delicious decadence. I ran across the recipe for Mounds Layer Cake on Pinterest, and it looked like something my daughter would love, so I pinned it. It's not exactly a simple cake to make, but it's definitely worth the work. The cake had so much delicious chocolate flavor that it's difficult to describe. It was so moist and just... delicious. If you like Mounds bars and coconut, then you definitely need to try this cake the next time you have friends or family over for dinner.

Filling

14 oz bag sweetened, shredded coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Filling: In a large bowl, combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans. It's a good idea to use parchment paper in the bottom on your pans, but not required. If you only have two pans, just fill one pan a little more than the other. You will split the taller cake in half.

Cake: In the bowl of your mixer, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

Add eggs, oil, and buttermilk and beat on medium speed for two minutes.

 

Scrape sides of bowl and stir in boiling water. Divide batter into cake pans (batter will be thin) and bake for 30 minutes or until tops spring back until lightly touched. Allow cakes to cool in pans for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Ganache

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup (you can use honey if you are opposed to corn syrup)

Ganache: While cake bakes, in a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave for about 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir until smooth. 

Stir in corn syrup and refrigerate until slightly cooled and thickened.

Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, slightly softened
1/3 cup cream of coconut (I buy this in a squeeze bottle with the drink mixers)
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 cups powdered sugar

Frosting: While cake bakes, in the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, cream of coconut, and heavy cream on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer set on low, slowly add powdered sugar. Once the powdered sugar is just barely mixed in, increase speed to high and beat for one minute until fluffy.

Spread coconut filling between 3 layers. 

Frost with coconut frosting.

Spoon ganache on top to the very edges of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

 

Garnish with a scoop of coconut filling if desired. Let ganache set, and then prepare for a bite of heaven.

Hot Cocoa

Mmmmmm. Hot cocoa. Is there anything that warms the heart and body better on a cold winter day than hot cocoa? I got this recipe off a Nestle Toll House cocoa box and saved it because it is awesome! My daughter off begs me to make this cocoa, but it's so simple she could actually do it herself.

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa (sifted)
4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon (if desired)
whip cream or marshmallows to top

Sift cocoa and mix with sugar in medium saucepan.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of milk and blend to make a smooth paste.

Add remaining milk and stir/whisk until combined.

Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly until desired temperature is reached. Do not boil milk.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon if using. Top as desired, and enjoy!

Tiramisu

There is not a much better dessert than a rich tiramisu. This is a classic Italian dessert found in almost every Italian restaurant. If you've never tried it, you should! It's made with a soft cookie, in this recipe it is Ladyfingers; dark chocolate; cocoa; and marscapone cheese, which is similar to cream cheese but smoother and sweeter. Tiramisu is lovely layers of rich chocolately yumminess. It's not a difficult recipe to follow; you just need to make sure to follow the steps correctly. I found this recipe on Pinterest at: Bailey's Hazelnut Chocolate Tiramisu. 

3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup espresso or strong coffee, divided
6 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons Bailey’s Hazelnut Liqueur, divided
1 pound Bel Gioso Tiramisu mascarpone cheese*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (7-ounce) package Ladyfingers
1/2 cup Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate chips, melted and cooled
cocoa powder for dusting
dark chocolate covered espresso beans for garnish, optional

First melt your chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Check it; stir, and then microwave for another 30 seconds. Check and stir, and then microwave in 15 second intervals until smooth. Do not overcook or the chocolate will burn. Set chocolate aside to cool. In a large bowl, beat 3 egg yolks, 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon espresso, 6 tablespoons Bailey’s Hazelnut Liqueur for a couple of minutes until well combined and thickened.

 

Add the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

In a separate (very clean) bowl (use a stand mixer if you have one for this part), whisk 3 egg whites until foamy. Add 1 teaspoon powdered sugar and whip to stiff peaks.

 

Stir about 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it; then fold the rest of it in gently. Taste for flavor.

Pour the rest of the espresso and Bailey’s into a flat dish. Dip one side of each Ladyfinger in this mixture for just 5 seconds (so it doesn’t get soggy) before layering them, soaked side up, in a deep serving dish.

 

Repeat, lining the entire bottom of the dish with the cookies. Drizzle cooled melted chocolate all over the cookies. Dollop about 1/3 to 1/2 (depending on how many layers you think you’ll be able to get in your dish) of the mascarpone mixture (called zabaglione) over the top and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.

 

Dust this with cocoa powder. Repeat layering dipped cookies, melted chocolate, zabaglione, and a dusting of cocoa powder, ending with a layer of the zabaglione dusted with cocoa powder.

This is the second time I made this recipe. The first time I used a very deep oval casserole dish and ended up with about three layers of ingredients. This time I used a 10X14 rectangular dish and got two layers, but there's not quite enough zagablione in each piece for my taste. Next time, I'm going to use a 9X13, and I think it might just be perfect.

Chill at least one hour before serving. Dot with dark chocolate covered espresso beans and serve. Eat within 36 hours or so, or things start to get soupy.