glazed chocolate layer cake

the goods:

cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
5 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

filling:
2 large eggs, separated
2 cups mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

glaze:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream



Make cake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Coat two 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll baking pans with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.



In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar on medium-high, 2 minutes; increase speed to high and beat until pale and thick, 5 minutes. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture; with a large rubber spatula, fold together until almost blended. Pour butter down side of bowl, folding to combine.



Divide batter between pans; smooth with a table knife. Immediately transfer pans to oven and bake until cakes are golden brown and springy when pressed, 6 to 7 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Let cool completely.



Make filling: In a large bowl, stir together egg yolks, mascarpone, sugar, cocoa, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. With a large rubber spatula, fold one-thirds whites into mascarpone mixture; fold in remainder.



Invert cakes onto a work surface and gently peel off parchment. Using a serrated knife, trim edges off cakes, then cut each cross-wise into thirds. Place 1 cake layer, golden side up, on a platter; brush with orange juice and spread with a layer of filling. Repeat with remaining cake, orange juice, and filling, ending with a layer of orange-brushed cake. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.



Make chocolate glaze: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium-high; when bubbling around edge, pour over chocolate. Let stand 3 minutes, then whisk until shiny and smooth.



Pour glaze over top of cake and spread so it drips down sides. Spread glaze up sides to cover completely.



Refrigerate 1 hour.



Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Slice and serve!

lazy chocolate cake

the goods:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup cold water
canned frosting



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish whisk together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add wet ingredients. Whisk until well combined.



Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Frost.

chocolate mousse tart with hazelnuts

the goods:

crust:
18 sugar cones (6 ounces total)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

filling:
1 and 3/4 cups heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

topping:
1/3 cup peeled raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt



Make crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, combine cones, salt, and sugar; process until fine crumbs form. With machine running, slowly pour butter through feed tube and process until mixture resembles wet sand.



Press crumbs in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.



Bake until crust is golden brown and set, 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.



Make topping: In a small saucepan, combine hazelnuts, granulated sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Strain hazelnuts and spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.



Bake until nuts are toasted and shiny, 15 minutes. Let cool completely.



Make filling: In a medium saucepan, bring 3/4 cup cream to a simmer; remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes; whisk to combine, then let cool to room temperature.



In a large bowl, whip 1 cup cream with confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form.



Gently fold in chocolate mixture until combined.



Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled and completely set, about 1 and 1/2 hours.







To serve, top with hazelnuts.

pumpkin icebox pie

the goods:

crust:
16 cinnamon graham crackers
1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

filling:
3 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (from 2 packets)
1 can (29 ounces) pure pumpkin puree -or homemade pumpkin puree
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (plus more for garnish)
3/4 teaspoon salt

topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar



Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, combine graham crackers, sugar, and salt; process until fine crumbs form. With machine running, slowly pour butter through feed tube and process until mixture resembles wet sand.



Press crumbs in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch square baking dish. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and fragrant, 20 minutes. Let cool completely.



Meanwhile, make filling: Place 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top and let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and cream cheese until smooth.



In a small saucepan, combine evaporated milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium. Add gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved. Pour milk mixture into pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely smooth.



Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled and completely set, about 3 hours or up to overnight. To serve, whip cream with confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

chocolate-caramel doughnut holes

the goods:

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar, plus more for coating
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
28-30 store-bought soft caramel squares, unwrapped
5 to 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, buttermilk, butter, and eggs until thoroughly combined. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until a smooth dough forms.



On a floured work surface, pat dough flat and lightly flour. Roll out dough to a 1/3-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 and 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Reroll and cut scraps.



Place a caramel in the center of each round, pinch dough closed around it, and gently roll into a smooth ball.



Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fill a wide shallow bowl with 1 inch sugar. In a heavy pot, heat 4 inches oil until it registers 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until a pinch of flour dropped in sizzles.



In batches of 4, fry doughnuts 5 minutes, turning with a slotted spoon and adjusting heat as needed. Transfer doughnuts to prepared sheet; let rest 4 minutes. Roll in sugar to coat. Serve immediately.

holiday blondies

the goods:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (or melted), plus more for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup m&m's (red and blue for 4th of July, orange and brown for Halloween, green and red for Christmas, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter; line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Butter paper.



In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; stir just until moistened.



Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top.



Arrange candies in rows (2 rows per color) on top of dough.



Bake until top of cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.



Set pan on a wire rack to let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board, cut into squares.

chocolate-caramel sandwich cookies

the goods:

cookies:
10 tablespoons (1 and 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

frosting:
1/4 cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.; stir in egg yolk.



In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.



Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until a dough forms. Drop dough by level teaspoons, 1 inch apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.



Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked, about 8 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough using fresh parchment. Tap baking sheet on counter to flatten cookies.



Make frosting: In a bowl, beat together caramel and butter with a wooden spoon until smooth; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.



Spread frosting on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies.



Pop em' in your mouth and enjoy!