I had a blast playing Secret Santa at the office this year!! I always do. This yearly tradition has become a great way to welcome in the holidays, with a bit of mischief and good fun.

The week of Thanksgiving we fill out our Santa wish list, then blind draw who we will secretly spoil the week of our annual company Christmas Party.  Last week, that all happened in epic proportion.  I drew Nick.  Nick, who’s favorite candy is Junior Mints.

Snap! I can do that. A quick Google search revealed just how easy it is to make Junior Mints from scratch with only four ingredients.  They’re that easy.

All my favorite Santas & Elves, gathered for the big revealing.  Love my work family.

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Homemade Junior Mints

Ingredients

• 3 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and extract until creamy. Add 1/2 cup of confectioners at a time until fully incorporated. The mixture may be crumbly. It will come together when rolled into balls.
• Scoop 1 tsp. of mixture at a time and roll into balls. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and press slightly into disc shapes. Chill for 15 minutes.
• Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between; until smooth. Dip minty discs in chocolate and return to parchment paper. Once dipped; chill and store in refrigerator.

Nick’s wish list revealed that his favorite food is chicken parmesan and pasta.  So on day#3, which is “A Clue About You” aka a hint at who might be their Secret Santa, I made him these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs.  Apparently a dead give-away.

I can’t share this post without giving a shout-out to my Secret Santa and his elf. Day #1 received an awesome chalk board, with a hand chalked message, and the most awe-mazing bundle of 48 colored chalks. This girl, who loves to draw, paint, and color was feeling the love. They took it up a notch and added some of my favorite trail pictures.

And Santa knew me so well.

The post Homemade Junior Mints appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Oh boy.  I did it this time.  I took three ingredients, conveniently on hand and 10-minutes later I was licking the spoon.  This spoon.  The one dripping with Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce.

You see that container of malted milk powder in the background.  It’s his fault.  I was reaching into the pantry for baking soda when malted milk powder tumbled to my feet.  “What are you trying to tell me?”  I thought quietly to myself.  I’m certain he whispered “Make Dusty Miller Sundaes.”  I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind.

And so I found a recipe from Land O’Lakes for Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce and 10 minutes later….the whole spoon thing happened.

And not long after that I was making Homemade Ice Cream in a Ziploc Bag.

And then I was topping ice cream with Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce and malted milk powder and whipped cream.  I was happily reflecting back to my childhood and my lifelong love of the Dusty Miller Sundae.  Without a care in the world.

The post Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Valentine “Cookie Cutter” Chocolate Bark {Share the Love}.

I’ve joined together with a wonderful…and ‘spunky’ group of bloggers to celebrate “Love & Food” in February.  I’m Day #4, following these three gorgeous recipes:

Limoncello Cream Dream Cake ~ Crumbs in my Mustachio. 

Nutella Frangelico Cheesecake ~ Tampa Cake Girl.

Cherry Blossom Chocolates ~ Hun, What’s for Dinner?

I was looking for a fun & easy Valentine recipe that could also help {Share the Love} with some special people in my life.

I’m a bit smitten with cookie cutters.  I have a select few that are vintage, complete with hints of rust…that I want to tie a string to and hang from various knobs and such in my kitchen.  I know. I know.  It’s not really a decorator’s dream, but I’m finding the older I get (so cliché to say from such a spring chicken) I’m becoming increasingly sentimental.  Give me a minute while I collect myself :)

I decided on Cookie Cutter Chocolate Bark in honor of the upcoming holiday (not technically a ‘holiday’ but certainly another excuse for foodies like me to talk about… food).  I was able to find inexpensive heart shaped cookie cutters at Walmart (4 for $1.97) along with a couple types of sprinkles and Valentine goodie bags.

Wrap the bottom of each cookie cutter in tin foil and then give them a coating of cooking spray.  For the first layer, melt 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and pour it into each heart, filling almost half way.  Then refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Next comes a layer of melted white chocolate, allow to set for a minute or two before adding some decorations.  Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate go very nicely with Cookie Cutter Chocolate Bark if I might say so myself.

Once the chocolate sets completely, bag the Chocolate Bark in Valentine goodie bags or wrap in cellophane.  You can recycle some of the cookie cutters to make a second batch while bagging others still set in the cookie cutters.  Either way, your special someone(s) will love these sweet treats.

Check back next week for four more delicious recipes as our “Love & Food” celebration continues.

Chocolate Pound Cake ~ Moore or Less Cooking Blog

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge ~ Baking in a Tornado

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“Cookie Cutter” Chocolate Bark {Share the Love}

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 6 cookie cutters
• 8- ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 8- ounces white chocolate
• colored sprinkles for decoration
• strawberries for dipping optional
• goodie bags or cellophane for gift wrapping

Instructions

• Wrap bottom of each cookie cutter in tin foil, then lightly coat with cooking spray. Place on a shallow baking sheet.
• Melt semi-sweet chocolate according to package instructions and pour into each cookie cutter, filling about half way. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Melt white chocolate according to package instructions and pour into each cookie cutter. Allow to set for 1-2 minutes, then decorate as you choose. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until completely set.
• Either gently push chocolate bark out of cookie cutter to gift wrap or gift chocolate in the cookie cutters.

The post “Cookie Cutter” Chocolate Bark {Share the Love} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake.

I’m so excited to share that I am one of 12 bloggers who have joined together to deliver you the “12 Cakes of December.”  We’ve got a fantastic line-up, so be sure to check back daily as I add links to each new cake.

Adventures in Chocolate continues.  If there’s one thing I can count on it’s the happy faces I see when I Share the Love in the form of chocolate.  I’ve been asking friends & family for recipe inspiration.  My friend Kim (lovingly referred to as Keemy), sent me the recipe link for this cake.  I will be forever grateful.

We start with a brownie crust.  Yes, I said brownie crust.  Brilliant if you ask me.  A brownie crust baked in a springform pan.  I happen to love Betty Crocker’s Triple Chunk Brownie Mix.  Feel free to make from scratch or use your preferred mix.

Next comes a layer of chocolate ganache.  I call this the chocolate lava layer.  If there’s one tricky element to this cake it’s keeping the lava from overflowing.  I found letting the ganache cool a bit before spreading made it nice and thick.  Once the layer of ganache is set, whipped cream is folded into the remaining ganache, creating a third lighter mousse-like layer.  Are you beginning to see why this cake is so special.

As I was assembling this cake, the laws of construction came rushing to mind.  I was trying so hard to control the flow of lava when it hit me….build a dam silly.  So I quickly began forming the wall of Pirouettes.  I dipped each piece in a little mousse and then stuck it to the side of the cake.  For safe measure, I tied a piece of butcher’s twine around the wall to keep everything in place while it chilled.

How gorgeous is this Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake?  Not only is she quite photogenic, but she’s incredibly tasty!!

Once pictured I delivered her to my work family.  You see, we’re building a great big addition onto our warehouse and we’ve got the hardest working construction crew working so diligently to stay ahead of the winter weather.  It was the least we could do to show how much we appreciate them.

This cake has been contractor approved!  AND has been given the 12 Cakes of December stamp of approval! We wish you the happiest of all holiday greetings.

xo Libby

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Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake

This is a show stopper cake that can be made ahead with very little hands on cooking time.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 16

Author adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate brownie mix prepared according to package instructions (I used Betty Crocker Triple Chunk Chocolate)
• 18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking bars
• 2 cups heavy cream divided
• 6 Tbl. butter cubed
• 1 Tbl. instant coffee granules
• 3 Tbl. vanilla extract
• 18 to 20 Pirouette cookies cut in thirds (about 1 1/2-inch pieces)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Prepare brownie mix according to package instructions. Spread into prepared pan, place on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
• Place semi-sweet chocolate in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, add 1 cup cream, butter, and coffee granules. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Remove from microwave, stir in vanilla and continue to stir until smooth. Remove 1/4 cup of chocolate and reserve for garnish. Allow remaining ganache mixture to come up to room temperature, stirring occasionally. The ganache will thicken slightly making it easier to work with.
• Remove sides from springform pan. Place brownie bottom on cake plate or serving platter. Spread half ganache onto the brownie. Begin in the center and slowly work it towards the sides.
• In a small bowl, beat remaining 1 cup of cream until soft peaks form; fold into remaining ganache. Spread mousse layer over ganache. Again, add slowly beginning in the middle and spread gently. Reserve a little to dip cookie sides into.
• Gently dip cookies into remaining mousse and press against sides of cake. I tied a piece of butcher’s string around the outside of the cookies to keep them in place until the cake chilled.
• Put reserved ganache into a pastry bag and pipe onto top of cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 5 minutes before cutting.

Notes

This recipe requires 30 minutes of prep. time, 30 minutes of cooking time, and at least 4 hours to chill it completely, preferably overnight.

~ 12 Cakes of December Line Up ~

December 1st ~ Libby ~ Lemony Thyme
Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake

December 2nd ~ Lysska ~ Cooking from a SAHM
Strawberry N Cream Cake with Tea Berries

December 3rd ~ Nettie ~ Moore or Less Cooking
Coconut Tres Leches Cake

December 4th ~ Lynne ~ 365 Days of Baking & More
S’mores Cake

December 5th ~ Becca ~ Cooking with Chef Bec ~ It’s Yummi
Pomegranate Lime Bundt Cake

December 6th ~ Lorinda ~ The Rowdy Baker
Brownie Bombe ~ Ice Cream Cake

December 7th ~ Cindy ~ Hun…What’s for Dinner?
Chocolate Roll with Candy Cane Whipped Cream

December 8th ~ Joan ~ Chocolate, Chocolate and more
Eggnog Pound Cake

December 9th ~ Abby ~ Manila Spoon

December 10th ~ Karen ~ Baking in a Tornado

December 11th ~ Amy ~ Crumbs in my Mustachio

December 12th ~ Cydnee ~ Tampa Cake Girl

The post Chocolate Truffle Pirouette Cake appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chocolate Lovers Pizza.

Round 3 of Adventures in Chocolate.  Week by week I’m working my way through my work family selecting someone to choose a chocolate recipe for me to make, picture, post, and deliver to them.

Jeff never passes when there are samples of chocolate being shared through the office so I knew I could count on him to select me a tasty recipe.  Not only was this Chocolate Lovers Pizza super easy to make but it was fun.  I took some liberties with the recipe and replaced maraschino cherries with Reese’s Pieces.  At Christmas, perhaps swap those with red and green M&M’s.

At Christmas Thyme I made a similar Chocolate Lovers Pizza for my nephew and topped half with red & green M&M’s and half with chopped mini-Reese’s cups.

Then I went to my local pizzeria and asked if I could buy an empty pizza box.  They got a chuckle and gave me one.

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Chocolate Lovers Pizza

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Adapted from Kraft Foods

Ingredients

• 1 package 8 squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
• 10 squares Baker’s Premium White Baking Chocolate divided
• 2 cups Jet-Puffed Miniature Marshmallows
• 1 cup crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup cocktail peanuts
• 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces
• 1/3 cup sweet coconut flakes
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil

Instructions

• Microwave semi-sweet chocolate and 8 squares of the white chocolate in a 2-quart microwavable bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes; stir. Microwave an additional 1 -2 minutes or until chocolates are melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Add marshmallows, cereal and peanuts; mix well.
• Spread evenly on lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan or parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with Reese’s Pieces and coconut.
• Microwave remaining 2 squares of white chocolate with oil in 1-cup microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle over pizza. Cool completely or refrigerate until firm. Store covered at room temperature.

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Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake {with Chocolate Ganache}.

Be careful what you wish for.  That’s how I felt when I was first handed this recipe.  You see it had been quite some time since our last Adventure in Chocolate.  I’ve been following a new healthy living routine and couldn’t quite figure out where chocolate would fit in.

So I called on an expert.  Wendy.  Friend.  Coworker.  Fellow lover of life and chocoholic.

I asked her to select a decadent chocolate dessert that I would make, picture, post on Lemony Thyme and ultimately deliver to her.  To devour.  That’s how she approaches chocolate (and mac ‘n cheese, but we’ll save that for another thyme).  Wendy stands about 5ft nothing and weighs what most of us weighed in 3rd grade.  For those of us who know and love her (you can’t do one without the other) we’ve learned that this bundle of high energy can put away some manly portions of food.  We have names for girls like her.  MmHmm.

Well dear Wendy chose Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake.  As I write this post I have already delivered the finished product and I have to say I was quite proud.  So while I was a bit intimidated by this, my first cheesecake recipe, I’m so happy now to have one under my culinary belt.  A notch in my wooden spoon.

I must share that I did not bake this cheesecake without the help of many…strangers.  You see I couldn’t tackle such a challenge without doing suitable research.  And my initial assumption was correct, cheesecakes can be tricky to make.  I found countless articles with tips and tricks on how to succeed and avoid disaster (hard to imagine a bad cheesecake).

• TIP #1 ~ Invest in a springform pan if you don’t already have one.  And go ahead and lightly grease it and line the bottom with parchment paper.  It won’t hurt.
• TIP #2 ~ Allow your ingredients to come up to room temperature (minimum of 1 hour)
• TIP #3 ~ Beat cream cheese alone until light and fluffy, scraping down sides with a rubber spatula.  Then put the spatula away.  To avoid lumps which can lead to cracking, once you begin to add additional ingredients only beat long enough to incorporate and DO NOT SCRAPE THE MIXING BOWL.
• TIP #4 ~ Whether you choose a water bath or a pan of water on the rack below, the moist water will help with even cooking and creamy texture.
• TIP #5 ~ A lower slower cooking temp. and cooling off period will help avoid cracking.
• TIP #6 ~ When the baking time is complete, turn oven off and allow cheesecake to begin the cool down process and rest in oven for an hour.  Do not open oven door.
• TIP #7 ~ Once removed from the oven, run a knife gently around the edge to help the cheesecake release from sides.  Do not remove sides.
• TIP #8 ~ Allow cheesecake to cool completely on a wire rack before refrigerating.
• TIP #9 ~ Chill cheesecake in refrigerator for 8 – 24 hours before removing springform side.
• TIP #10 ~ If applying a topping, such as Chocolate Ganache or Chocolate Curls, chill cake another hour after applying before slicing.

This was such a fun way to Share the Love with my work family and with you.  Hmm, I wonder who will be chosen to select our next Adventure in Chocolate.

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Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake {with Chocolate Ganache}

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Author Southern Living December 2010

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups crushed dark chocolate-and-almond shortbread cookies about 18 cookies. We used Keebler Dark Chocolate and Almond Shortbread Sandies
• 2 Tbl. melted butter
• 2 4-ounce semisweet chocolate baking bars, chopped
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 4 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• Ganache Topping see recipe link in post
• Chocolate Curls for garnish see recipe link in post

Instructions

• ***BEFORE YOU BEGIN*** Be sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature (set out at least one hour).
• Set oven rack to middle. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place a 9×13 pan on lower rack. Add 4 cups hot water.
• Lightly grease 9-inch springform pan with butter. Line bottom with parchment paper. Combine crushed cookies and melted butter. Press mixture into bottom and slightly up sides of prepared springform pan. Use empty measuring cup to press firmly.
• Microwave chocolate and cream at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals. Remove and stir until chocolate and cream are combined well.
• Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a stand mixer for 2 minutes or until light and smooth, scraping down sides with rubber spatula (now put spatula away, no more scraping from this point forward). Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating until just combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Add chocolate mixture, beating just until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. **DO NOT SCRAPE BOWL**
• Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes, gently rotate pan 180 degrees midway through baking. Turn oven off and allow cheesecake to stand in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; gently run knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. **COOL COMPLETELY** in pan on a wire rack (minimum 1 hour). Cover with waxed paper then plastic wrap and chill 8 to 24 hours.
• Remove sides then gently separate parchment lined cake from bottom of pan and slide onto a serving plate. Slowly pour warm Ganache Topping over cheesecake, slightly tipping cake to encourage ‘overflow’ around the edges. Chill 1 hour before garnishing or serving.

The post Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake {with Chocolate Ganache} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chocolate Ganache Topping.

I completely underestimated Chocolate Ganache Topping when I set out to make this Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake.

When the ganache sets up it becomes a silky smooth layer of fudge-like goodness.  Or the inside of the most decadent truffle.  I won’t be reserving this for only cheesecake.

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Chocolate Ganache

Author Southern Living 2010

Ingredients

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 4-ounce dark chocolate baking bar
• 1 4-ounce semisweet chocolate baking bar

Instructions

• Bring cream to a light boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Chop chocolate bars into small pieces. Pour hot cream over and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Then allow to cool until slightly warm (about 15 minutes).

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