-
Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones
Valentine’s Day is upon us. That means it’s time for allll the chocolate…even for breakfast. Yep, a holiday like this one calls for a decadent, chocolatey start to the day. (I mean, let’s be real, I’ll take an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast any day, but this holiday is just begging us to indulge.) These Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones are the perfect thing to serve your loved one (or yourself) for a Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed! How to make flaky AF scones Every scone, chocolate or not, should be flaky and tender. And the way you get that flakiness is the same way you get it in pie…
-
German Chocolate Brownies
February is always chocolate month to me. Besides Valentine’s Day, it’s also ridiculously cold and dark up here in the north. We need plenty of chocolate to guide us through the second half of winter — because yes, we still have half the winter to go (sorry winter-hating friends, but it’s true). Well, more than half, because winter lasts until April here…or sometimes May…but I digress. The point is, we need a little extra chocolate this time of year. And what better way to up our chocolate intake than with rich, gooey brownies? Bonus points if they’re covered in a sweet, custardy, coconutty topping. Introducing your new winter BFF, German…
-
Double Chocolate Mocha Crunch Cake
My birthday was last week, and what better way to celebrate than by baking a fabulous cake? This year’s birthday cake inspiration came in the form of my friend Andrew’s Double Chocolate Cake from his cookbook, You Get It Honest (a great book chock full of delicious Southern cooking). But of course I had to make a few additions because, well, that’s just what I do. The result is this Double Chocolate Mocha Crunch Cake. Let’s dig in. A Case for Baking Your Own Birthday Cake Some may think it’s weird or even sad to bake your own birthday cake, but I disagree. I mean, if you hate baking, then…
-
Top 10 Northern Ginger Recipes of 2022
It’s that time again…time to take a look back at the top moments of the year! Here on the blog, that means rounding up the most-viewed recipes from the last 12 months. Now, I know that statistics aren’t exciting or sexy, but I love getting to the end of the year and looking at my blog stats to see what recipes were your favorites over the past year. It’s SO fun (and interesting) to see which recipes you all liked, and compare the list with which recipes I thought would be the most popular. (Spoiler: most of the time, I’m wrong.) Anyway, without further ado, here are the Northern Ginger…
-
Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti
🎶It’s the most wonderful time of the year… 🎶 Holiday baking time, that is! And this year I’m adding a new treat to my must-have list of cookies—these Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti! Light and crisp, biscotti are the ideal after-a-big-holiday-dinner treat to have with your coffee. And with dutch cocoa powder and tons of festive spices, these biscotti, in particular, are chock full of flavor. History of Biscotti Biscotti are a traditional Italian treat (though this flavor is decidedly non-traditional). In Italy, biscotti are often dunked in Vin Santo (a dessert wine), though outside of Italy it’s common to dip them in espresso or coffee. The word “biscotti” originates from the…
-
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Helloooo fall baking season! From now through the end of the year is my FAVORITE time to bake. There are so many great flavors to play with! Right now we have apples, maple, caramel, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pumpkin. Then once the holiday season hits, we add in peppermint and a whole slew of other nostalgic flavors I look forward to all year. This pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe is one that I’ve had for years. It came to me in bread form from a previous roommate, but it’s been so long that I can’t remember who that was (if it was you, let me know!). I tweaked the recipe…
-
Chocolate Lover’s Granola
If you’re a chocolate lover, boy have I got a treat for you! This Chocolate Lover’s Granola is the excuse you’ve always wanted to eat chocolate for breakfast. You’re welcome. The Kid in You Will Love It When I was a kid, I only ever wanted to eat sugary cereal for breakfast (as, I suspect, most kids do). I especially loved chocolatey cereal—Coco Puffs, Count Chocula, Cookie Crisp. But my mom, of course, wanted me to eat healthy cereal (shocking, I know). So instead of Cookie Crisp I ate Shredded Wheat (and no, not the frosted kind). These days, I’m much more likely to opt for that healthy cereal than…
-
Chocolate Mini Egg Cookies
It’s hard to believe it’s already the second week of April(!!) , and Easter is this weekend. My sense of time is a little messed up right now though, as I’ve been sick the past couple of weeks. Thankfully, I think I’m nearing the end of it — this weekend I finally had enough energy to do some baking. And these Chocolate Mini Egg Cookies were at the top of my list. A Chocolatey Treat for Easter When it comes to baking for Easter, chocolate isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. I think of carrot cake, pavlova, or maybe something lemony (like these Mini Lemon Cupcakes). But…
-
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the subtle power of comfort food. Maybe it’s the war in Ukraine, maybe it’s the fact that we’re coming up on two years of the pandemic, or maybe it’s any number of other difficult and scary things happening in the world. But whatever the reason, there’s something innately comforting about sharing food with those we love when we can’t control what’s happening around us. When I think about comforting desserts, I think of cake. Especially chocolate cake with a rich, creamy frosting. In that vein, I created these über-comforting Mint Chocolate Cupcakes. They’re perfect for St. Patty’s Day, but can offer a dose…
-
Tiramisu Brownies
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Whether you like this particular holiday or not, you have to admit it’s a great excuse to eat chocolate. And although we don’t actually need an excuse to eat chocolate, it’s still a great reason to make — and eat — an over-the-top chocolate dessert. Our assignment for Valentine’s Day 2022: Tiramisu Brownies. Brownies…But Sexier Yep, these beauties are a mashup of brownies and tiramisu. Think deeply fudgy brownies with pieces of ladyfingers mixed in, then covered in a thick, creamy mascarpone-whipped-cream-Kahlua topping and a hearty dusting of cocoa powder. A decidedly sexier version of brownies…perfect for Valentine’s Day. The Fudgiest Brownies This…
Recipes and Musings from the Zenith City
