I made a few gift boxes from some friends on one of there birthdays and I wanted to post the recipes!
the boxes included, Simple drop sugar cookies, triple chocolate brownies, chocolate covered sea salt caramels, and chocolate covered strawberrie cupcakes!
I'll start with the cupcakes!!!
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES!!!!
Nonstick vegetable spray
All-purpose flour, for pans
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup pureed strawberries, strained*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Cocoa
1/3 cup water
red food coloring**
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray or line your Cup Cake pans
- Prepare the cake batter; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pureed strawberries, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs.
- Divide batter in half to one half add enough food coloring to get that prefect pick color
- To the other add your Cocoa and Water and mix til blended
- Then make you cupcakes, to do this and have the effect that I had, simply fill a little over 1/4 of the cupcake cup with the chocolate and add to the top enough of the strawberry to fill each cupcake cup 2/3 of the way full
- Bake in the oven at 350 for 15 to 22 mins and set to cool.
- Frost with your Favorite Chocolate frosting!
* You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If you use frozen, let them defrost on a cookie sheet. Then place in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Run through a medium-sized strainer to remove the seeds.
CHOCOLATE COVERED SEA SALT CARAMELS
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt, such as fleur de sel
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preparation:
Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.
Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef’s knife.
Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time. Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely.
TRIPLE BROWNIES
Ingredients
* 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
* 2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
* 8 tbsp. unsalted butter
* 3 tbsp. vahlrona cocoa powder
* 1¼ cups white sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract
* ½ tsp. salt
* 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate and butter over low heat. Gently stir the mixture until everything is melted together. Turn off the heat and add the cocoa powder and the sugar. Stir to combine.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and stir to combine until the eggs are fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and salt and combine. Add the flour and lightly stir until just incorporated.
4. Transfer the batter to a foil lined and sprayed 9x9 baking dish. Bake for 30-33 minutes in your pre-heated oven.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.
6. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving
SIMPLE DROP SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup salted butter
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup coarse sugar crystals or regular granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugar until it is nice and creamy. Mix in 1 egg yolk at a time and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt until cookie dough is completely mixed. Be sure to scrape down the bowl to be sure everything is mixed. Using a medium scoop, form dough balls and roll them in sugar crystals. Place cookie balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper 2 inches apart from one another. Be sure not to flatten the dough. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the surface of each cookies have a cracked like texture. Remove from oven and allow cookies to remain on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
I hope you Enjoy!
