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Category Archives: Chocolate


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Dairy-Free German Chocolate Cake Cookies

This past weekend was wonderful. It was a quiet weekend, but it was perfect. Mike got his wisdom teeth out (ouch!) and it snowed all day on Saturday so staying inside and vegging out was just what we needed. I shoveled for the first time in like… 5 years, and it was surprisingly relaxing. I ended up baking two types of cookies, some muffins, and made some soup. So, yeah, I would consider it a pretty successful weekend. To round it all out perfectly, I received a surprise early Christmas gift.

Dairy Free German Chocolate Cake Cookies | doughseedough.net

I grabbed a package off our front stoop thinking they were the boots I had ordered. Then, I realized that the box was far too small to contain boots. And the package was sent from Amazon, not Macy’s. I ran inside and ripped it open. I pulled out a huge bag filled with Enjoy Life’s (dairy-free) mini chocolate chips and chocolate chunks.  Then I pulled out a cookbook I’ve been eyeing for a while – Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. The entire time, I was babbling “What the…? Who sent this? Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!!” At the bottom of the box were two slips of paper. The first one – blank. The second one had the answer – the gift was from Ashley and Nick, some of our closest friends. It’s amazing how someone can make me so happy from the other side of the world.

dairy free baking | doughseedough.net

After all this, I knew I had to use some of the chocolate chips. I settled on a recipe that had caught my eye last week – German Chocolate Cake Cookies from Food Network. These cookies were rich and chocolatey and captured all the goodness of German chocolate cake without being overly sweet.

Dairy-Free German Chocolate Cake Cookies | doughseedough.net

Dairy Free German Chocolate Cake Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup dairy-free butter substitute, softened (I used Smart Balance)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup stevia
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dairy free mini semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place coconut oil, butter substitute, brown sugar, and stevia in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until well combined. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients into butter mixture until well combined.
  4. Stir in mini chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans until evenly distributed.
  5. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until edges are firm. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.


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Salted Fudge Brownies

Holy smokes, I can’t believe it’s August already! Life is a little crazy right now. We have the Big (-ish) Move on Saturday to prepare for and our house is a disaster. I can’t figure out what I want to bring down to Madison and what I want to leave in Appleton. I have a new job starting on Monday. Don’t get me wrong – my life is hectic, but I love it.

After speaking with a friend recently, I realized just how blessed I am. I got into a dietetic internship on my first try. I passed my RD exam the first time I attempted it. I landed a job right away. And now? Now I’m moving on to an even better job. Best of all, I have the most amazing and supportive husband next to me. I have so much to be thankful for.

I haven’t been cooking much because we have very little food in the house and I don’t want to buy more before the move. Stupid me didn’t prepare for this move very well. If I had any sense, I would have stockpiled some posts and scheduled them for the next few weeks. Instead, I have nothing. So DSD might be a little empty for a couple weeks while I rebuild my life in Madison.

That brings me to these brownies. Mike asked if I could make a treat for him to bring in to work. I heard several rave reviews about these salted fudge brownies and I decided that those were definitely the treat I would make. It worked out perfectly because I already had all the ingredients at home. The results are definitely rave-worthy. I’m a little sad that I had to give them away because they were so good. So good that I snagged a piece for Mike and I to share and sent 15 instead of 16 brownies to work. Oops 🙂

I plan on stocking up on more unsweetened chocolate soon because I need to make more of these. I have even heard that these are perfect for freezing individually and then microwaving for 15 seconds later on for a magnificent, fudgy treat.

Salted Fudge Brownies | doughseedough.net

Salted Fudge Brownies
very slightly adapted from Eva Bakes, via Food and Wine

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 metal pan with foil, draping foil over the edges. Generously butter the foil.
  2. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate, whisking occasionally, until completely melted.
  3. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. One at a time, whisk in sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle salt on top and gently swirl into batter using a toothpick.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until edges are done but center is still slightly gooey. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a little batter.
  6. Let brownies cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Place in refrigerator and chill for 1 more hour.
  7. Life brownies from pan by grasping the foil overhang and place on a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.


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Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been craving cookies like crazy lately. On Sunday night the craving was so bad and I (sadly) didn’t have any cookies in the house. Wait, I take that back. I had Girl Scout cookies, but those weren’t going to cut it.

I decided to experiment and whip up some peanut butter cookies. Then I decided to make them better with mini chocolate chips and some chopped peanuts. Mini chips are my newest baking fave. I don’t know why I don’t use them more! They are perfect for cookies because they distribute more evenly in the batter than big chips. You’re pretty much guaranteed chocolate in every nibble!

If you’re a fan of soft, cake-y cookies, these are for you. They are so light in texture and absolutely delish. I was a bit hesitant to use the word “healthy” for this cookie, but this is probably one of the better-for-you cookies that I’ve made. After all, there is not a trace of added oil or butter in this recipe. And no butter or oil means I can eat more cookies, right? Right.

Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies | doughseedough.net

Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter, applesauce, sugars, vanilla, and eggs until smooth and well combined.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and peanuts.
  4. Wet hands with water* and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 – 14 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.

*I had to wet mine with water because this dough is really darn sticky. Alarmingly sticky. But don’t fret. Wet your hands, roll the dough, and the cookies will bake up perfectly!


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Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies | doughseedough.net

I think I have a problem. I can’t stop eating these cookies. Seriously. They are making their way into my mouth 3 at a time, several times a day. I’m eating so many of them that I haven’t really eaten a proper dinner in a few days because I’m seriously just stuffed full of cookies. The only time that I am sans-cookie is at work. And that’s only because I force myself to walk out the door without a bag full of them. I need to keep a few hours of my life cookie-free, after all.

I have 2 sad cookies left in my cookie jar. The good news is they are super easy to whip together. The bad news is that it’s a million degrees (and humid!) out and the thought of turning on the oven makes me want to cry. I think I’ll have to wait until it cools off so I can bake more of these. And this time I probably won’t share.

Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies | doughseedough.net

Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
slightly adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/4 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, gently whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together sugar, brown sugar, and butter until well blended. Mix in vanilla and egg until just blended.
  4. Stir in flour mixture by hand until just combined. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
  5. Roll dough into 1″ balls and place 2″ apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are lightly browned. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.


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Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting | doughseedough.net

My last post was a week and a half ago. I got back from vacation last Tuesday and meant to post a vacation recap (aka photo-dump a select few of the thousands of pictures we took) and a recipe later last week. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Life got a little… crazy.

Let me back up to a month ago. I applied to a really awesome nutrition program consultant job. I didn’t think I would get a call back from them. Fast forward about a week: I get a call for an interview. I go to the interview, it goes fine, and I don’t think much more of it. Fast forward again to last Wednesday.

I got a job offer. I cried, called Mike, and didn’t sleep for the next two days. They needed an answer by Friday, and I hadn’t had time to fully process everything yet. Taking this job would mean moving back to Madison, our college town. Mike’s business is in Appleton. Our families are in Appleton. We have a house in Appleton.

After several long discussions and a total of 6 hours of sleep in two nights, I called them back and accepted. We’re moving back to Madison! Kind of. I’m estimating that I will be spending 1/3 of my time in Madison at the office, 1/3 of my time traveling to my sites,a nd 1/3 of my time in Appleton. I still can’t believe that all this is happening. Needless to say, I have a lot to prepare in the next month for the big transition. It looks like the travel yoga mat I bought for vacation is actually going to get put to some good use!

Anyway, I will spare you the photos from my vacation (for now) and instead share with you these cupcakes that I made for Mike’s birthday over the weekend. My handsome hubby turned the big 2-5! Mike gave me the go-ahead to make whatever birthday treat I wanted. Perfect.

These cupcakes were to die for. Seriously. Make these now. Everything from the cake (moist, fluffy, and chocolatey with a hint of stout) to the frosting (creamy, caramely deliciousness) is perfect. In fact, I ate all the extra frosting with pretzels and ate the rest of the caramel with a spoon. Don’t judge, because when you go finish reading this post, you will go and make these cupcakes. And you will eat all the leftover frosting and caramel, too.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting | doughseedough.net

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
makes 24 cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-12 ounce bottle Guinness Extra Stout (or other stout beer), room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

for the salted caramel:
1/2 granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

for the salted caramel frosting:
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
mini pretzel twists  to garnish, optional
sea salt to garnish, optional

  1. To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 24 muffin tins or line with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the stout, butter, vanilla and eggs. Beat together until combined. Mix in Greek yogurt until smooth and well combined. Carefully stir in dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time.
  4. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until cupcakes are domed in the center and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before place removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  5. To make the salted caramel: place sugar and water in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir carefully until sugar is dissolved, being careful not to touch the sides of the pan. Bring mixture to a boil and stop stirring. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until mixture turns a deep amber brown color, about 10 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and carefully stir in whipping cream and vanilla extract. Let cool for 1 hour.
  6. To make the frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until well combined. Add in 1/2 cup of caramel and mix until fluffy.
  7. Frost cooled cupcakes with salted caramel frosting and drizzle remaining caramel on top. Garnish with a mini pretzel twist and a tiny sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.

cupcake recipe barely adapted from Food Network and frosting recipe adapted from Carla’s Confections


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Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Lightened Up Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins | doughseedough.net

I’m a cookbook junkie. I have shelves and shelves of cookbooks of all different types. I seriously love them. I honestly love just having them – I don’t cook a lot from them. In fact, most of my cookbooks get looked at once, maybe twice a year. As always, there are exceptions. Baked: New Frontiers in Baking is my most recent purchase and I’m obsessed with it. Every single dish I’ve made from it has been amazing. If you don’t own this book, I beg you – BUY IT!

Now, these muffins… so so good. In fact, I made these about 2 months ago for some friends. They were gobbled up before I even got a chance to take a photo for the blog. Thankfully, these muffins are also very easy to make and really tasty so I didn’t mind having to make these again! In fact, I whipped these up before heading to work on Friday. It only took about 20 minutes of prep time and another 20 for baking. I  made a few adjustments so they would be a bit healthier and I loved how they turned out!

Lightened Up Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins | doughseedough.net

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins
very slightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

3 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (6 – 7 medium – large bananas)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-12 cup muffin pans with liners or grease with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together bananas, sugar, brown sugar, butter, applesauce,  milk, and eggs.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly pour in wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter, filling each one 3/4 full.
  5. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing the muffins and placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.


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Nutella Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I’m not a coffee drinker. Or a dunker. So, biscotti and I shouldn’t get along. But we do.

You see, these biscotti are delicious even when they are eaten plain. In fact, they are good enough to eat at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and for snacks. These biscotti were perfectly crisp yet still soft – nothing is worse than a biscotti that is break-your-teeth-hard. They weren’t overly sweet, either. So, whip yourself up a batch of these and enjoy!

Nutella Chocolate Chip Biscotti | doughseedough.net

Nutella Chocolate Chip Biscotti
very slightly adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup (6 oz) Nutella,  room temperature
3 large eggs,  room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened in color, 2-3 minutes.  Add Nutella to the bowl and mix on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (15 to 20 seconds) and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture to Nutella mixture and beat on low speed until combined; scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
  4. Add chocolate chips and mix on low speed until just blended.
  5. Divide the dough in half and on a lightly floured surface, shape each half of dough into a 13-inch log.  Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet 4 inches apart.  Gently press down on the logs to flatten them slightly until they are about 2 inches across.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the logs are firm to the touch.  Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the logs cool completely.
  7. Turn the oven down to 275°F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Transfer the cooled logs to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice the logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick cookies.  Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the cookies, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning the biscotti over halfway through, until the cookies are dry.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.


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Hazelnut Tiramisu Brownies

hazelnut tiramisu brownies | doughseedough.net

When Jessica over at My Baking Heart posted these tiramisu brownies, I knew I had to make them. Immediately. Usually I find a recipe that calls out to me and put it on my “to do” list. These babies almost skipped every other dish I had on my list and I made them as soon as I could.

A little tip – if you don’t want the 8 egg yolks to go to waste, do as I did and use 5 of them in these Layered German Chocolate Cupcakes. Then you will have not one, but TWO super decadent treats. It’s probably a good idea to share 😉

hazelnut tiramisu brownies | doughseedough.net

Hazelnut Tiramisu Brownies
yield: 15 large brownies

2 oz dark chocolate chips
16 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c granulated sugar, divided
4 whole large eggs
8 large egg whites, divided
1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1/4 cup chopped, roasted hazelnuts
8 ounces Mascapone cheese, room temperature
8 ounces Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 package ladyfingers
1 cup coffee
2 tablespoons dark rum

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13×9 baking pan and set aside.
  2. Place chocolate chips in a large microwavable bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth and melted, stirring after each time. Let cool slightly.
  3. Pour melted chocolate into a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in butter on medium speed until well incorporated. Add in 1 cup of sugar, 4 whole eggs, and 4 egg whites, mixing until well blended. Mix in flour and instant coffee on low speed until just combined. Carefully fold in hazelnuts. Remove 1 cup of batter and pour remaining batter into prepared pan.
  4. Place lady fingers rounded-side down on top of the batter, pushing down slightly on each one. Combine coffee with rum and brush onto the ladyfingers until saturated.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, Neufchatel cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 remaining egg whites, and vanilla extract. Carefully spread over the ladyfingers.
  6. Drop dollops of remaining brownie batter on top of the cheese layer and swirl gently with a knife.
  7. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the center is almost set. Let cool completely in pan before cutting.

Recipe slightly adapted from Chef Maureen Joyce & Barista Prima Coffee house via My Baking Heart


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Layered German Chocolate Cupcakes

I rarely crave cake. When I do, it’s usually one of two types: a white cake with a strawberry filling or a chocolate cake with nuts.

german chocolate cupcakes | doughseedough.net

So German chocolate cupcakes? They totally hit the spot.

These bad boys were a two day project for me. It all started on Sunday night after a long, long day. I baked the cupcakes and decided that I was simply too exhausted to deal with them any more. I let them cool, scooped them out of the pans, and covered them before collapsing in bed.

On Monday morning, I got ready for work as fast as I could and whipped together the chocolate ganache and coconut-pecan filling for the cupcakes. After cooking them, I scooped them into bowls and let them hang out for the day while I went to work. After a crazy day at work, I finally got around to decorating and photographing them. Phew!

german chocolate cupcakes | doughseedough.net

A few lessons I learned along the way:

  • These cupcakes are fragile. I almost threw them all away after I spent what seemed like a million hours carefully removing them from the cupcake pans. I’ll probably opt to use cupcake liners in the future, even though it won’t look as nice.
  • Splitting this into a 2-day project was smart. The cupcakes were still very moist the next day (and for days after).
  • These are delicious (and dangerous to have around). How good are they? Well, I took the cupcakes that I failed to remove in one piece and layered them in a ramekin with the filling and ganache to create a little German chocolate cake parfait of sorts. I couldn’t bear to throw any of the goodness away.
  • The recipe from the box can be trusted!
  • German chocolate cupcakes >> German chocolate cake

german chocolate cupcakes | doughseedough.net

German Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate Box, makes 30 cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 ounces German chocolate
1/2 cup water
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

for the coconut-pecan filling:
5 egg yolks
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups unsweetened flake coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

for the chocolate ganache:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 pint whipping cream

To make the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease cupcake pans and set aside.
  2. Mix together milk and lemon juice in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Heat chocolate and water in a large bowl for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  6. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition.
  7. Gently fold in egg whites until well combined.
  8. Fill prepared cupcake pan no more than half full. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Immediately run a small spatula along the edges of the cupcakes to loosen. Allow to cool in the pan 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the coconut-pecan filling:

  1. Beat egg yolks, milk, and vanilla in a large saucepan with a whisk until well combined. Add sugar and butter and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes or until mixture has thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Stir in coconut and pecans until well combined. Let cool to room temperature before use.

To make the chocolate ganache:

  1. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool to room temperature before use.

To assemble the cupcakes:

  1. Carefully cut cupcakes in half horizontally. Spread a spoonful of coconut-pecan filling onto the bottom half. Place the top of the cupcake on and spread more coconut-pecan filling on top. Place the chocolate ganache into a piping bag fit with a medium or large star tip. Pipe ganache onto the top of the cupcake and garnish with a pecan, if desired.


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Grilled Banana S’Mores

grilled banana s'mores | doughseedough.net

I had no idea something as simple as a s’more could be so good. I’ll be honest – s’mores have never been that good to me. When we go camping, I usually pass on making them for a few reasons: 1) I’m not patient enough to toast the marshmallow ~perfectly~, 2) the effort put into making them was too much for me, 3) they just didn’t taste that good. I was much happier just skewering a marshmallow, torching it, and then popping the burnt morsel into my mouth.

All that said, I couldn’t wait to share this with you. So imagine my horror when I started typing on my laptop only to find out that my space, N and B keys don’t work. I started copy/pasting those letters and wrote out a couple sentences when it hit me – type it on my iPad! Duh. It’s still slower than typing on a keyboard, but a lot faster than having to paste in all my Bs, Ns, and spaces.

So, why is this s’mores recipe so good? I think it’s the addition of the grilled banana. Or maybe it’s the fact that all I had to do to make them was stand by the grill. I will admit that I spent about 90% of my 11 mile run on Sunday thinking about these bad boys. I told Mike that every mile I ran = 1 s’more. (Note: I didn’t end up eating 11 s’mores yesterday… but I kind of wish I had). So, here you go. Enjoy this supremely gooey, delicious mess.

grilled banana s'mores | doughseedough.net

Grilled Banana S’mores
makes 4

1 medium ripe banana
1 teaspoon brown sugar
4 graham crackers, halved
1 .5 ounce bar of milk chocolate, broken into 4 pieces
4 large marshmallows

  1. Heat grill to medium.
  2. Lay banana flat. Cut a slit down length of banana. Sprinkle brown sugar into the opening. Grill banana for 5 minutes, or until brown sugar is bubbling. Remove from grill and let cool slightly. Peel and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
  3. Lay graham crackers down on grill. Top 4 crackers with chocolate and 4 crackers with marshmallows. Cover grill and cook until chocolate is melted and marshmallows are softened.
  4. Place sliced bananas on chocolate and place marshmallow cracker on top. Serve immediately.