Want to feel fancy? Try our five-ingredient chocolate truffles.
We love brownies, but when you’re looking for an elevated dessert, chocolate truffles are the perfect treat. They’re rich, bite-sized, and easy to make. Their decadent chocolate flavor is an ideal way to cap off a delicious meal. Best of all? You only need 5 ingredients to make them at home.
The core of a good truffle is just chocolate and cream. Because so few ingredients are needed, you should make sure that the ones you have are really good. Pick up the hunk of gourmet chocolate you usually bypass at the store. This is the moment for it.
This recipe specifies grabbing two different kinds of cocoa powder. If you can’t find ones that are explicitly labeled “dark,” then just look for two different brands. The idea here is to create a little bit of variety in tone.
By the time you’ve finished rolling each ball of chocolate in cocoa powder—of whatever shade—your hands will be covered in chocolate, but you’ll also have a plate of wildly delicious chocolate truffles.
Serve these five-ingredient chocolate truffles at a holiday party, or pack them up in individual cellophane bags for gifting.
This Valentine’s Day, make your sweetie something sweet. Our twist on homemade Oreos has all the chocolatey flavor of the original, but with an extra cute heart-shaped design perfect for Valentine’s Day.
You start, of course, with the cookie dough. Tons of cocoa powder make this dough something special. Your Valentine won’t have any idea if you sneak a delicious bite while you’re baking.
After some time in the fridge, the dough rolls out into an easy slab.
Get out the heart-shaped cutters! Each cookie will include two whole hearts.
While the cookies bake, whip up some icing.
Dye it pink (whatever shade you like!).
Then, it’s a labor of love to spread icing between each pair of cookies. No one said cookie-making would be easy, but when you end up with a pile of these, it’s totally worth it.
Keep reading for the recipe!
Homemade Oreo ingredients
INGREDIENTS
For the cookies: 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 teaspoons whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Red Food Coloring
How to make homemade Oreos
To make the cookies: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cocoa and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer if you have it, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract; beat until well combined. (If you don’t have a mixer, you can use your arm!)
Whisk in the flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Working one disc at a time, roll each chilled dough disc to a 1/4-inch-thickness, cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cut out shapes on a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Re-roll any remaining dough and continue cutting shapes until all of the dough is used.
Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
To make the filling: While the cookies cool, in a large bowl, gradually beat the powdered sugar and milk into the butter until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and red food coloring.
To assemble the cookies: Transfer the filling to a plastic sandwich bag and cut off a small corner (or use a pastry bag). Pipe the filling into the center of half the cookies and top with the remaining cookies to form the sandwiches.
How long do homemade Oreos last?
Keep your finished cookies sealed in an airtight container
Can you freeze homemade Oreos?
Yes! Place any leftover cookies in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to a month. You can let them thaw or eat them straight out of the freezer.
It’s not always simple to find a dessert that’s decadent enough for a special occasion but easy to make at home. This molten chocolate lava cake is delightfully rich, and you can count all of the ingredients on one hand. Molten cakes were the star of 1990s dessert menus in restaurants across the country, and now that 90’s fashion is back, it’s high-time they graced our tables again. Grab your butter, switch on your oven, and get ready to create a dessert that will make your dinner companion swoon.
The first step on your dessert journey is melting the chocolate and butter together. The easiest way to do this in the microwave. Just combine the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl or measuring cup and microwave in 10 second bursts, stirring between each stint, until the mixture is smooth. If you don’t have a microwave you can also accomplish this with a double boiler.
After it’s melted, set this mixture aside and turn to the eggs. You’ll need to whip the egg, egg yolk, and sugar into a voluminous cloud. This may feel like a bit of an arm workout, but you’ll be forming the heart and soul of your future cakes.
The next step is to carefully combine the chocolate and egg mixtures. Do this by folding carefully, you don’t want to deflate all that volume you created.
Finally, pour the batter into buttered, floured ramekins and bake. They only need to bake for about 10 minutes, so place them in the oven after you’ve finished dinner. That way they’ll be ready just in time for dessert.
We like to serve ours with berries and a little whipped cream, but they’re also delicious on their own, or with a scoop of ice cream.
Recipe from “The Chef Next Door: A Pro Chef’s Recipes for Fun, Fearless Home Cooking”
Amanda Freitag is a deeply devoted fan of chocolate. These simple truffles have a short ingredient list, but bring a lot of flavor to the party. They’re easy to make, and they don’t even require turning on the oven. This chocolate truffle recipe can be made a day ahead, making them the perfect dish to bring to a dinner party.
Chocolate Truffle Recipe
1 Cup heavy cream
8 Ounces dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of sea salt
Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small stainless-steel or other nonreactive saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until it’s fully melted.
Transfer the hot mixture to a large bowl. Use a whisk to whip the mixture, ensuring the chocolate and cream are fully combined.
Refrigerate the mixture until firm, about 30 minutes.
Put the cocoa powder in a bowl or shallow baking dish and have it nearby. Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, distribute even scoops of the mixture onto a baking sheet.
Use your clean hands to roll each scoop into as perfect and round a ball as possible. Try not to handle the chocolate for too long, as the heat of your hands will melt it.
Drop each truffle into the cocoa and roll it around, coating it in the powder. Use a spoon or your fingers to remove the truffle from the powder and transfer to a container large enough to hold one or two batches. Choose a container that allows you to layer the truffles, using waxed paper between layers.
Refrigerate the truffles until ready to serve.
If a few chocolate truffles are a little…rustic in appearance, that’s fine! They’ll be just as delicious.
Try them for dessert after ordering a dinner planned by Amanda Freitag.
Chef Alex Saggiomo would never deny having a sweet tooth. Here’s his classic homemade chocolate pudding recipe.
A dollop of whipped cream never hurts
Growing up, eating dinner was really just something I had to do in order to get to dessert. My mother, an amazing cook in her own right, would prepare everything from beautifully roast chicken to perfectly seared shrimp, but at the end of the day, it was that final sweet treat that motivated me to get through my portion of vegetables (side note to childhood Alex: you will learn to love vegetables, I promise).
As a kid, something about a pudding cup always felt incredibly indulgent—a personally portioned dessert just for me?! I’ll take two! (Seriously, two minimum.) As a chef, it’s still the simple things that make my heart swell. I hope this recipe provides you the same sense of nostalgia—and bonus, you don’t need to wait until after dinner to eat it!
Chocolate Pudding Recipe
1½ cups half-and-half
1¾ cups heavy cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
7 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp kosher salt
Whipped cream and chocolate shavings for serving, optional
In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half and the heavy cream and scald over medium-high heat (you’ll start to see bubbles form around the edge of the pan, but the liquid is not boiling). Fill a separate saucepan a third of the way full with water, and heat until it is barely simmering. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, set the bowl over the water, and heat, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Pour the hot cream mixture over the melted chocolate and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and slowly whisk in the sugar. Slowly pour the hot cream-chocolate mixture into the egg-sugar mixture a little at a time, whisking constantly (this is called tempering the eggs, and will make sure they don’t scramble when added to the hot liquid).
When all of the cream-chocolate mixture has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl into the saucepan. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a spatula and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan often to prevent scorching for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon (to test, draw your finger along the back of the spoon, the custard should hold the trail for a couple of seconds before it fills). First the mixture will be liquid and loose and then become thicker at the bottom of the pan. As it thickens, it will start to let off a little steam.
When the pudding is ready, immediately strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until cold. The pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Just before serving, stir up the pudding to smooth it out. Spoon into dessert bowls and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings (if using).
A generous tablespoon of cinnamon gives this rich Mexican hot chocolate recipe its pleasant warmth, while a pinch of cayenne adds a surprising—but welcome—touch of heat. If you don’t have Raaka bars, feel free to use your favorite dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao—and bonus if it also contains any of the spices in the recipe!). Serve this up at a holiday brunch, or a simply enjoy it on a cold afternoon.
Start the hot chocolate: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cinnamon. Heat to a simmer on medium-low. Once simmering, cook, whisking occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cinnamon is fragrant. Finish & serve the hot chocolate: Add the chocolate, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cayenne; cook, whisking frequently, 4 to 5 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and heated through. Divide the hot chocolate between 6 mugs. If using, top with the whipped cream. Enjoy! Pink Sea Salt Tart
Chefs, meet the centerpiece of your holiday dessert table. This gorgeous chocolate tart strikes the perfect balance between elegant and unfussy—if you don’t have Raaka chocolate, feel free to use your favorite dark chocolate (we recommend at least 70% cacao). Either way, don’t skip the sea salt garnish! The salty flakes help to cut through the rich ganache.
Pink Sea Salt Chocolate Tart
Active Cook Time: 15-25 minutes
Inactive Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes: 12 Servings
Ingredients:
10 Ounces Shortbread Cookies
1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
12.6 Ounces Raaka Pink Sea Salt Chocolate, chopped (7 bars)
1 ¼ Cups Heavy Cream
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
Directions:
Make the crust: Place the shortbread cookies in a food processor. Pulse until the cookies are finely ground. Add the sugar and butter. Pulse until the mixture is moistened and the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until the crust has set, at least 30 minutes.
Make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream to boiling on medium-high. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanillaextract.
Assemble & serve the tart: Pour the ganache into the chilled crust. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until the ganache has set, about 1 hour. Garnish with the sea salt. Enjoy!
Icebox cake is the perfect dessert for your end-of-summer gatherings. Why? Because there’s absolutely no baking involved. After all, there’s nothing better than a recipe that doesn’t require you to turn on your oven when it’s especially hot out.
As the name implies, all you need to make this delectable treat is an icebox—which is just an old-fashioned way of saying refrigerator.
Inspired by a popular recipe from the ‘20s and ‘30s, our six-ingredient cake uses layers of freshly-made whipped cream and chocolate wafer cookies. Despite our shift from iceboxes to freezers, icebox cake has remained a classic throughout the decades because it’s both easy to make and delicious.
We love the sweet cream flavor and silky-smooth texture of freshly made whipped cream. Nothing beats making it from scratch, especially since the prep time is so minimal. Just a couple of minutes of whisking heavy cream and powdered sugar, followed by adding a dash of almond liqueur and a few drops of vanilla extract, and you’re good to go!
(Adding the liqueur is of course optional.)
Build the cake by spreading a thin layer of freshly whipped cream to the bottom of a flat serving or cake dish. Arrange seven cookies side-by-side around the circumference of the whipped cream layer, placing one cookie in the middle. Repeat the layering with the rest of the whipped cream and cookies, finishing the top off with cream.
A four-hour to overnight rest period in the fridge allows everything to chill and set, during which time the cookies will absorb some of the moisture from the whipped cream. This is what gives this dessert its soft, cake-like texture.
Before slicing and serving, put the finishing touches on your cake by garnishing it with flaky, dark chocolate shavings. You can never have enough excess chocolate!
Generously layered, creamy and delicious, icebox cake is a retro dessert staple and our pick for the dessert of the summer.
Icebox Cake Recipe
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Heavy Cream ½ Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Almond Liqueur
2 9-Ounce Packages Chocolate Wafer Cookies
5 Ounces Dark Chocolate
Make the whipped cream
In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream and powdered sugar; using a whisk, beat until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the vanilla extract and almond liqueur.
Assemble & refrigerate the cake
Spread a thin, round layer (about 4 inches in diameter) of the whipped cream onto the bottom of a flat serving dish or cake dish. Arrange 7 cookies, side by side, in a circle around the circumference of the whipped cream layer. Place 1 cookie in the center. Carefully and evenly spread about ¾ cup of the whipped cream over the cookies to create another round layer. Repeat with the remaining whipped cream and cookies, finishing with the whipped cream on top. Carefully cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight).
Shave the chocolate & finish the cake
Just before serving the cake, place the chocolate on a clean, dry work surface. Carefully drag the blade of a knife over the surface of the chocolate to create thin shavings. Garnish the cake with the chocolate shavings.
Tell us – what are your favorite no-bake recipes for summer?
Strawberry season is here! So, let’s pair a few delicious berries with chocolate. Here’s a two-ingredient dessert you’ll make all season.
All you need are strawberries and chocolate chips. But a bowl of whipped cream never hurt as a topping for what’s about to be an irresistibly gooey bowl of fruit and chocolate-y goodness.
To get there, first core the strawberries. You want to take out enough of the white insides that you can stuff them full of chocolate. To ensure they stand upright on a flat surface, cut a bit off the bottoms too, so you have a base. Then, simply stuff all the berries with chocolate.
When this baking sheet goes into the oven, something miraculous happens. As the chocolate melts, the strawberries soften into denser, jammy versions of themselves. Together in one bite, they become an almost pudding-like mouthful, ideally paired with ice cream or whipped cream.
Since the start of the holiday season, we’ve been crafting edible gifts to inspire you to delight your family and friends. Twelve of them, to be exact. Because there’s nothing lovelier than a homemade present. You can catch the whole series on our Instagram feed, but fortunately, there are still a few days left before Christmas for you to hop on the edible gift bandwagon. Here, our twelve delicious ideas.
For the first in our edible gift series, we’re making the fixings for a spicy, refreshing holiday cocktail. In a large container, combine 750ml tequila and 7 to 10 cinnamon sticks. Let sit for 1 to 2 days for a warm tasting tequila and 3 to 4 days for a strongly flavored cinnamon tequila. Strain the tequila and discard the cinnamon sticks. Pour the tequila back into its original bottle for a pretty presentation.
Create 10 to 12 small bundles of fresh woody herbs (such as thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, oregano, or lavender) and secure the stems with wire. Attach the bundles to a small (6 to 8 inches) wire wreath frame, slightly overlapping each bundle over the previous bundle. Attach a bow or pinecone and enjoy!
In a clean mason jar (or other decorative bottle) combine 8oz. bourbon and 3 to 5 vanilla beans, split open. Make sure the vanilla beans are completely submerged. Tightly seal the jar and give it a good shake. Let the jar stand in a cool place for 3 weeks, shaking occasionally. The extract will intensify the longer it sits with the vanilla beans.
Make a big batch and share this with your friends for the holidays, packaged in glass Weck jars. It’s the perfect, healthful breakfast to balance out your lavish holiday feasts! Here’s the recipe.
On a sheet tray combine, 2 cups cashews, 2 cups walnuts, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup almonds, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/3 cup date molasses, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 teaspoons chipotle powder, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped rosemary and 2 teaspoons salt. Toss to combine and spread out in one layer. Roast the nuts at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and toss with an extra 2 teaspoons salt and 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary. Allow to cool completely before packing the nuts into an airtight container. Will keep for 2 weeks at room temperature. Happy gifting!
In a large container, combine the peel of 10 unwaxed lemons and one 750 ml bottle of 95% proof grain alcohol. Let sit for 10 to 12 days and then strain through a layer of cheesecloth into a large bowl. In a large pan, make simple syrup by combining 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar and bringing to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature and then add it to the alcohol mixture, tasting as you go. Decant into pretty bottles with instructions to keep the limoncello in the freezer where it will keep indefinitely. Cheers!
In a food processor combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups powdered milk, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips and 1 tsp cinnamon. Divide the mixture between 3 pint-sized containers and enjoy! The hot cocoa mix will keep for 2 months. Stay warm!
Wash 5 lemons. Make 4 cuts lengthwise in each lemon without cutting through to the stems. Stuff the cuts in the lemons with a mixture of 5 tbsp. sugar and 5 tbsp. salt. Stuff the lemons into a 12oz. jar, pressing them down tightly to pack. Let the lemons sit for 3 to 5 days at room temperature. Then, add 1 cup lemon juice and let sit in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or until the rinds have softened. Before using, rinse the preserved lemons to remove excess sugar and salt. Use in Moroccan dishes like this one.
Slice 1 grapefruit in half. Juice 1 half, reserve the juice and discard the flesh. Roughly chop the other half and reserve. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the chopped grapefruit and a chopped 2-in piece of ginger and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. In a large wide mouthed container, combine the cooled grapefruit syrup (including fruit), reserved grapefruit juice, 1 cup Campari, 1 cup vodka and ¾ cup sweet vermouth. Stir to combine and refrigerate overnight. Strain the mixture and discard the fruit. Will keep up to 1 month stored in the fridge.
Chop up a ½ pound of the best-ever dark chocolate. Heat ½ a cup of heavy cream to boiling. Add 1 tablespoon espresso powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate. Stir well, then add 1 tablespoon of flavored liqueur (your choice!). Set aside for an hour, then roll 2 teaspoon portions of the mixture into balls. Roll the balls through two different cocoa powders, chopped nuts, or powdered sugar. Store in the fridge. (See more detailed instructions here.)
Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper. Crush 5 candy canes into pieces. In 2 separate bowls, melt 8 Ounces of Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate and 12 Ounces of Chopped White Chocolate in the microwave in 15 to 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted and smooth. (If desired, stir ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract into the melted white chocolate.) Spread the melted white chocolate onto the parchment paper. Evenly top with dollops of the melted bittersweet chocolate. Using a knife, pass the knife through both chocolates to swirl. Press the crushed peppermint pieces into the chocolate. Set aside to harden.
In a small jar, combine 2 Parts Ground Cumin, 2 Parts Ancho Chili Powder, 1 Part Ground Coriander, and1 Part Chipotle Pepper. Use in tacos, fajitas, tortilla soup, and mole.
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