Apple Fritter Coffee Cake ~ Hot Chocolate Bombs

                                                    

                  Apple Fritter Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Coffee cake:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 apples, peeled and chopped (your favorite kind), mixed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Glaze:
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1-3 tablespoons of milk or cream- depending on the thickness of glaze

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan and grease with Crisco or spray with non-stick spray or line with foil and spray with non-stick spray to get out easily for slicing.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

In another medium-sized bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended in; add in vanilla extract.

Combine & whisk flour and baking powder together in another bowl and add in creamed butter mixture and stir until blended.

Mix milk into batter until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apple mixture, then half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apple mixture, then the remaining brown sugar cinnamon mixture.

Swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using knife or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.

To make the glaze, mix powdered sugar and milk or cream together until well mixed.

Let cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

*****

 

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Hot Chocolate Bombs are chocolate spheres filled with homemade chocolate milk powder and marshmallows that are put into a mug with hot milk for a delicious cup of hot cocoa.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Freeze 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Chocolate Milk Powder
⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (39g) cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
Chocolate Bombs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons chocolate milk powder, divided
3 tablespoons mini marshmallows, divided
1 silicone chocolate bomb mold

Directions:
Chocolate Milk Powder

To get started, get out a jar with a lid or a food processor.

Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Use a food processor or shake up the ingredients in a sealed container until all the ingredients are mixed together. 

Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Melting Chocolate--Double Boiler Method

Fill a medium pot almost halfway with water. Bring the water to a simmer over low heat. 

Place a heat-safe bowl (glass or stainless steel) that can just fit on top of the pot of simmering water, but leaves a gap between the water and bottom of the bowl.

Add the chocolate chips to the bowl. Keep the heat on low and use a rubber spatula to stir the melting chocolate chips until smooth. Remove the bowl of chocolate, but leave the water in the pot to be used later.
Chocolate Molds

Add a heaping spoonful of the melted chocolate to each of the six chocolate molds. Use the spoon to spread the chocolate up the sides of each mold. Make sure the entire inside of each mold is evenly coated with chocolate. (Save extra chocolate to use later.)

Freeze the chocolate for 10 minutes, or until completely set.

Once set, carefully remove the chocolate cups from the mold, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Assembling Hot Chocolate Bombs

Flip over three of the molds to be filled. Fill each of the three halves with 2 tablespoons of the chocolate milk powder and 1 tablespoon of mini marshmallows.

Place the other three halves, seam-side down, on a separate baking sheet. Place the sheet on top of the pot of warm water over low heat to slightly melt the rims of the molds.

With gloves on (so you don't leave fingerprints) cover each filled chocolate half with an empty half, sealing it.
Decorate with any extra melted chocolate, sprinkles, and other candies. Use immediately, or within 24 hours, for best results. Store at room temperature.

To make hot chocolate, add a chocolate bomb into a mug. Slowly pour about 1½ cups of hot milk over the bombs and stir. Sip and enjoy!

Coffee Creamer

Here's the basic recipe and a bunch of flavors to choose from....you can thank me later...over a cup of coffee...lol

Homemade Coffee Creamer

For each flavor of creamer, you start off with the same basic ‘base’ recipe.

14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup milk or cream

Mix the ingredients together well. Add them to a mason jar and shake to thoroughly mix the contents.

Possible flavor combinations:

French Vanilla Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Coffee Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Chocolate
2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Chocolate Almond
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon almond extract

Strudel
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Vanilla Caramel
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Raspberry
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons raspberry syrup

Irish Cream
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Coconut
2 teaspoons coconut extract

Chocolate / Caramel / Coconut
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Peppermint Patty
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Cinnamon Vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pumpkin Spice
3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey Vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Almond Joy
1-2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Sweet Cream
Use 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream instead of the milk in the base recipe
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR the inside of a vanilla bean, scraped
1 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Orange
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1-2 teaspoons orange extract

Hazelnut
2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Chocolate Hazelnut
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Cinnamon Cake
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Salted Caramel
2-3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
1/2 teaspoon salt

Eggnog
replace milk in base recipe with equal amount of heavy cream
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Toasted Almond
2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions & Tips:
In all these recipes, anything that has a dry or thick ingredient (like cinnamon, honey, etc..) should be heated up with a small amount of your milk/cream from the base recipe so it can dissolve properly. Then, add the rest of the milk/cream along with the sweetened condensed milk.

If you want really creamy creamer, use heavy cream instead of milk in your base recipe.