Source: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/chocolate-blackout-cake/

FOR THE PUDDING:

•  1¼ cups granulated sugar
•  ¼ cup cornstarch
•  ½ teaspoon salt
•  2 cups half-and-half
•  1 cup whole milk
•  6 oz unsweetened chocolate (chopped or chips)
•  2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (optional)

MAKE THE PUDDING:

1. In a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk. Set the pan over medium heat.
2. Add the chocolate & cocoa powder and whisk constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture begins to thicken (it should look glossy and large bubbles break on the surface)
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
4. Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, until throughly cooled.

* Pudding can be made a day ahead, this recipe makes enough for the layers & covering the cake only. No snacking!

FOR THE CAKE:

•  ½ cup unsalted butter
•  1½ cups all-purpose flour
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  ½ teaspoon baking soda
•  ½teaspoonsalt
•  ¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
•  1 cup brewed coffee (decaf)
•  1 cup buttermilk
•  1 scant cup granulated sugar
•  1 scant cup light brown sugar
•  2 eggs
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MAKE THE CAKE:

1. Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans. (Did with an 8″ springform and a 9″ cake pan)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture. (Be careful to squish all the lumps!)
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.

ASSEMBLE IT ALL:

1. Cut each cake in half horizontally so that you have four layers.
2. Crumble one the ugliest layer into medium crumbs and set aside.
3. Place one cake layer on a serving platter or plate. Spread 1 cup of the pudding over the cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer.
4. Spread the remaining pudding evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the cake crumbs evenly over the top and sides of the cake, pressing lightly to adhere.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days according to recipes. TBD on freezing.

100% from: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/the-best-double-chocolate-cookies-recipe/ (formatted to be easier for myself to read & note modifications at the bottom)

•  1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks)
•  1/2 cup white sugar
•  1 cup brown sugar
•  4 ounces (2/3 cup) dark chocolate, melted
•  2 large eggs
•  4 teaspoons vanilla
•  2 cups flour
•  1 cup cocoa powder
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
•  2 cups chocolate chips (dark!)

Make the Dough

1. Cream the butter, then the sugars together
2. Mix in melted 4oz of dark chocolate
3. Add eggs and vanilla
4. Add in dry ingredients (except choco chips). Stir with a spatula first so the stand mixer doesn’t make everything go “poof!” initially.
5. Add in chocolate chips as soon as the batter comes together, don’t overmix
6. Chill the dough for half an hour, then portion it (~60grams per ball) and fridge for another 30+ minutes, or forget in the fridge/freezer.

To Bake

1. Preheat to 350 degrees F
2. Space them ~2″ apart, and smush them slightly before baking or they’ll end up as mounds (kindof donut-like, but no hole in the middle)
3. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until soft but not shiny

Modifications

mole cookies : add 1 tsp mole spice mix

I liked this. Saving this so I don’t lose it and remember what I did differently. Original recipe here.

• ~3 cups of barely cooked cauliflower florets + stems, cut up into small pieces (microwaving for 3 minutes does the trick)
• a splash of olive oil (to grease the pan throughly)
• 1 big shallot, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 eggs (try only 6 yolks?)
• salt, pepper
• 2tbsp grated parmesan
• seasoning – original recipe did 1/4tsp cayenne, 2 tsp ground caraway (too strong) and fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, while the oven is preheating, sauté the onions and garlic until soft and lightly golden.
2. Blend the eggs, cheese & seasoning. Mix in the cauliflower and alliums.
3. Throughly brush a 9″ (10 was a little too thin) cast iron pan with olive oil
4. Heat the cast iron on the stove on medium — give it a few minutes so it’s throughly heated.
5. Pour the cauliflower mixture in, then bake for ~30 minutes (until set)

Adapted from the NYT Recipe

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/255 grams total (2¼ sticks) salted butter, cold
½ cup/101 grams granulated sugar
¼ cup/55 grams light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups
6 ouncesbittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (chunks!)
1 large egg, beaten
Turbinado or sanding sugar, for rolling (Turbinado tastes better)
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 (though dough will rest overnight)

1. Stand mixer with paddle, beat butter, sugar, vanilla until light and fluffy.
2. Add flour, then chocolate chunks until just blended.
3. Divide in half, roll into logs and wrap in saran wrap
4. Chill overnight (two hours minimum, but overnight makes it much easier to slice)
5. Brush each log with egg, then roll with turbinado sugar
6. Slice into 1/2 inch slices, rotating as you go
7. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly brown

Best Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

8oz cream cheese
1 egg
1/4th c sugar
vanilla

DONT OVERBEAT.
Bake for 35 minutes at 350F.
Spread half the brownie batter in an 8×8 tray, then all the cream cheese, then dollop the remaining batter over that and swirl.

Source for cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1. Cream the butter and sugar together
2. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt
3. Add flour and baking powder

Fridge for an hour (or overnight!) then roll out on a floured surface and cut. Bake at 400F for 6-8 minutes. (For me the magic number was 8-9 minutes). Makes 90-100 irregularly shaped heart cookies (aka, a lot).

Source for icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp buttermilk
2 tsp light corn syrup
a splash of vanilla

Mix! If too thick, add a few drops of water.

At least two batches are needed to frost all of the cookies above.

Makes 10 or more waffles

2.25 tsp yeast (or 1 pack)
3/4 cup warm water
3 eggs
3 cups whole milk
1 cup cornmeal (1/4th should be coarse/polenta for added texture)
2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp
1 tbsp glutinous rice flour (makes the waffles hold their crisp a little better)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted + extra for greasing the waffle iron
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Stir together yeast and water
2. Whisk together eggs and milk. Then add the yeast+milk mixture
3. Mix in dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar, flour, glutinous rice flour)
4. Whisk in melted butter
5. Cover bowl, refrigerate overnight

6. Right before cooking, mix in the baking soda (1/2 tsp)
7. Butter the waffle iron, and cook on medium. (In my waffle iron, I found four minutes at heat setting 3 was perfect)
8. Pre warm the oven, and use that to keep the waffles crispy (they soggify pretty quickly)

Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/smores-cake-recipe-2109947

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
*1 tbsp instant coffee (for extra darkness and flavor!)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare pans (grease & parchment the bottom) — either two 9″ rounds or one 9×13 pyrex (will be a thick cake)

Whisk the cocoa powder, instant coffee and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Add the eggs, veggie oil, sour cream and vanilla to the stand mixer bowl, mix until smooth. Add in chocolate mixture. Mix in the dry ingredients (sifted together) until combined into a thin batter.

Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly, then move to a cooling rack.