Guru Goddess

What You Need:

 

2 T half and half

1 T butter

2 T light rum, divided

8 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped

 

How to Make It:

 

Place the half and half into a small sauce pan over medium heat.

Add the butter and 1 T of rum and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.

Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat.

Add the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour in the remaining rum and whisk until combined.

Transfer to a small fondue pot or a custard cup place on a heated serving plate.

 

Serving Size:  4

 

This is the perfect dipper for fresh strawberries, raspberries or even fortune cookies.  If the chocolate becomes too thick for dipping whisk in 1 t of half and half at a time until you achieve the desired consistency.

 

What You Need:

 

1 3/4 C shortbread cookies, crushed

3 T unsalted butter, melted

1/2 C raspberry preserves

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed

3 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature

1 C sugar

2 T flour

1/2 C sour cream

2 t lemon juice

2 eggs

2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped

1 t light corn syrup

1 t unsalted butter

3 T whipping cream

1 C fresh raspberries

 

How to Make It:

 

Place the oven heat on 350 degrees and allow it to heat while making the crust.

Place the crushed cookies into a mixing bowl.

Add the melted butter and mix until the completely moistened.

Press the mixture into the bottom only of a heart shaped muffin pan.

Bake 8 minutes, remove and allow them to cool 15 minutes.

Spread 1/2 t of the raspberry preserves over each crust.

Place the thawed raspberries into a blender and puree until very smooth.

Strain to remove any seeds and set the puree aside.

Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl.

Add the 1/2 C butter and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Add the sugar and flour and continue beating until just blended together.

Add the sour cream, 1/2 C of the raspberry puree and the lemon juice and beat until well blended.

Add one egg at time beating after each one until it is completely blended in.

Fill each heart shaped muffin cup 2/3 full of the mixture.

Place the muffin tin in a larger pan and fill the pan with enough water to come 1/2 way up the side of the tin.

Place both pans in the oven and bake the cheesecakes for 25 minutes until the edges are puffed and the tops feel dry to the touch.

Remove the muffin pan from the water bath and cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate the cheesecakes overnight.

Place the chocolate, corn syrup and butter into a mixing bowl.

Place the whipping cream into a small saucepan and place over medium heat.

Bring the whipping cream to a brisk boil.

Pour the boiling whipping cream into the bowl with the other ingredients.

Stir until the ingredients have melted and the mixture is smooth.

Let stand until the chocolate is cooled but still pourable, stirring often.

Place the chocolate mixture into a sealable plastic baggie. 

Cut a small hole in one corner of the baggie and pipe the chocolate over the top of each cheesecake. 

Top with a fresh raspberry before serving.

 

Serving Size:  24

 

Kids just love these little heart shaped cheesecakes.  Take them as treats to your child’s school party or have them at home for a special after school treat.

What You Need:

 

2 squares white baking chocolate

3 T milk, divided

2 T cream cheese, softened

2 squares semi sweet baking chocolate

2 Maraschino cherries

 

How to Make It:

 

Place the white chocolate squares into a microwave safe bowl.

Add 1 T of the milk.

Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes then stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Beat the 2 T of the cream cheese into the mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.

Place the 2 squares of semi sweet chocolate into a separate microwave bowl.

Add the remaining milk and microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove and stir until the chocolate is smooth.

Spoon the mixture side by side into dessert bowls.

Place the bowls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill through.

Garnish each bowl with a cherry.

 

Serving Size:  2

 

Comments: 

 

Nothing says love like chocolate.  End you romantic dinner with this special dessert and watch the sparks fly.

What You Need:

 

8 (1 oz) squares milk chocolate

 

How to Make It:

 

Place the chocolate squares in a microwave safe bowl.

Microwave on high 1 minute remove the bowl and stir.

Continue at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth being sure to stir after each 30 seconds.

Allow the mixture to cool about 5 minutes.

Lay wax paper on a flat surface and spread the chocolate mixture on the wax paper to desired thickness.

Place the chocolate on the wax paper in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until the chocolate is firm but still pliable.

Remove and place on the flat surface.

Use heart shaped cookie cutters of different sizes to cut out the solid chocolate hearts.

 

Serving Size:  24 to 32 hearts

 

Use these chocolate hearts in Easter baskets, at place settings or just hand them out throughout the day.  You can add a little flavoring such as orange, lemon or raspberry to the melted chocolate for a special treat.

What You Need:

 

1 1/2 C flour

2/3 C sugar

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

10 T unsalted butter, melted and hot

1/4 C + 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 large egg

1/4 C + 2 T milk

 

How to Cook It:

 

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl.

Add the sugar, baking soda and salt and blend all the ingredients together well.

Place the hot melted butter into a separate bowl.

Add the cocoa powder and whisk until very smooth.

Add the egg and milk to the chocolate mixture and blend until completely combined.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and stirring from the bottom up mix the ingredients until the flour mixture is just moistened completely.

Place a piece of wax paper on a flat surface and remove the dough to the wax paper.

Form the dough into a rectangle.

Place the dough into the refrigerator and allow it to chill 15 minutes.

Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees and allow the oven to heat while finishing preparing the biskits.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the dough into 8 heart shaped biskits.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the biskits in a single layer on the prepared sheet.

Bake 12 minutes or until the bottoms just begin to color and the tops begin to crack.

Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

 

Serving Size: 8

 

Serve these on Valentine’s morning with a few fresh berries on the side.