Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

These are always impressive and always delicious (and SUPER easy! Shhhhh, don't tell!)  I made these for the boys in my life on this stay-at-home-with-3-sick-kids Valentine's Day!  They are so easy my 3 year old helped me do them!  So, no excuses!  These puppies can be $1 a piece at candy stores! (I have totally posted this before, but these are GOURMET, hence the nuts and coconut!)

Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Fresh strawberries, washed and dried (leave the stems on for dipping)

Good chocolate (I always use Ghirardelli) milk chocolate, white chocolate, or semi-sweet 

nuts, chopped fine (I used pecans)

coconut

mini chocolate chips

toffee bits

oil

Line a cookie sheet or two with wax paper, set aside. Mix chocolate chips with about 1 t oil per cup of chips in a sauce pan.  Heat over LOW heat stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Repeat process with as many different kinds of chocolate as you want to use. (I used milk and white for these).  I always melt my chocolate stove top, I have more control this way and I have found it helps the chocolate to not seize (especially the white chocolate).  Dip the washed and dried strawberries in the chocolate one at a time and then roll in what ever toppings you want, or a mixture of them.  Place dipped strawberries on wax paper. Let them sit for a couple of minutes and then drizzle with alternating kids of chocolate if desired.  I just use a spoon with a side to side motion.  Try it first over a separate piece of wax paper to get the feel for it.  Let the strawberries set up completely.  I find this is best in a cool place or the fridge. Store extras in the fridge for a few days.

Dark Chocolate Cookies

When I first saw these on Pinterest, they had me at one glance!  But, I truly knew it was meant to be when I went to get out the ingredients and I had EXACTLY enough powdered sugar and just enough chocolate chips to make these!  We were meant for each other!  These are unlike any other cookie I have made.  I don't even have the words to express how I feel about these... they are divine, decadent, rich and heavenly!  They will satisfy a chocolate craving like this Double Chocolate Torte but with much less effort!  They have a little crunch on the outside but are soft and gooey on the inside! So there you have it, these just might be what you need for the love in your life for Valentine's day!

Dark Chocolate Cookies
(makes about 16-18 cookies)

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 T corn starch
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray and set aside.  Melt one cup chocolate chips in the microwave or on your stove over low heat, until melted.  Cool slightly.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gradually beat in one cup powdered sugar until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.  In another bowl whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt to blend.  On low speed, beat dry ingredients into egg whites mixture.  Stir in lukewarm melted chocolate and the last 1/2 cup chocolate chips. The dough will get very stiff.

Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a bowl.  Roll rounded Tablespoons of dough in powdered sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies puff up and cracks form on the tops, about 8-10 minutes.  Cool on sheets for 10 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool.

Conversation Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day!

I found this recipe over at a kid's craft site called the Crafty Cow. This was such a fun, albeit messy, project I did with my family! I really LOVE how they turned out and my kids thought it was so cool to color on them! I think this will be a new Valentine's Day tradition for us!

Conversation Hearts

(this makes a TON!)

1 package (1/4 oz, or 2 t) unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

2 t light corn syrup

2 lbs. powdered sugar, plus more for dusting (I probably used about another pound when all was said and done)

Assorted flavoring extracts of your choice

Assorted food coloring of your choice

small heart shaped cutters (I found mine at Jo-Anns in the cake decorating section)

Food coloring markers (I got mine at Wal-mart in their cake decorating department, they are called Food Writers by Wilton)

1. Place corn syrup, gelatin, and water in a small saucepan and heat over low.  Stir until the gelatin is well-distributed and dissolved.

2. Pour the gelatin mixture into the bowl of a mixer fitted with paddle attachments. Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated.  Continue adding powdered sugar one cup at a time until all 2 pounds is used.  Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.  The dough will change from watery liquid to a stiff dough.

3. Once you have mixed in all the sugar, turn the dough (it will be sticky) onto a powdered sugar coated work surface.  Add more powdered sugar to the top and knead the dough, adding more sugar as needed, until it is no longer sticky and very smooth.

4. Now, decide how many colors/flavors you want and divide the dough into that many pieces.  Add a few drops of color and flavor and knead until it is totally mixed in.  (You may want to use gloves for this as the color can stain your hands.) Roll out each ball to desired thickness and cut out hearts of varying sizes. I covered the balls I wasn't using so that they didn't start to dry before I could roll them out.  Place the heart cut outs on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and let them dry for 24 hours.  I know that this is a long time but they need to dry that long before you write on them or the ink will run.  Once they are totally dry, write on them with edible markers.