chocolate

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Hazelnut Sables

Posted by on Jun 11, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, French, nutty | 0 comments

These Chocolate-Hazelnut Sables are a fancy kind of shortbread, perfect to pair with some coffee or tea!

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Hazelnut Sables

The chocolate flavor here is pleasant and deep thanks to the pairing of cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips. The hazelnuts provides a welcome sporadic crunch.

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Hazelnut Sables

The hazelnuts will need to have their brown papery skin removed for the recipe. Look at the end of the cookie directions for instructions on how to do that! It’s a fiddly, time-consuming thing, but it’s not hard, but do be careful with the fizzing-hot baking soda.

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Hazelnut Sables

These Chocolate-Hazelnut Sables are a special kind of shortbread. They require some initial effort to prepare the hazelnuts, but the prepared dough can then be frozen for weeks.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: French
Keyword: chocolate, cookies, hazelnuts, shortbread
Servings: 50 cookies
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • food processor
  • plastic wrap
  • food scale
  • parchment paper
  • knife or bench knife

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts see note for blanching advice
  • 3 oz mini semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar for topping

Instructions

  • Use the food processor to finely chop the hazelnuts. Transfer them to a bowl with the mini chocolate chips.
  • In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and white and brown sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times. Fold in the hazelnuts and chocolate.
  • Divide the dough between two long sheets of plastic wrap. Form the dough into logs, then encase in plastic, rolling to smooth out. Each should be about 1 inch high and 9 inches long.
  • Wrap airtight and chill for at least an hour, or freeze for upwards of a month; thaw later in fridge.
  • When it is baking time, preheat the oven at 350. Lay parchment paper on baking pan. Place turbinado sugar in a saucer.
  • Use a knife or bench knife to slice logs about 1/4-inch thick. Press the top of each cookie into the turbinado sugar, then set spaced out on parchment.
  • Bake for about 14 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

OM NOM NOM!

    Notes

    How to Blanche Hazelnuts: First of all, note that this makes enough to make two batches of these cookies, or use half for some other delicious purpose. Place 2 cups water in a deep pot. Slowly add 3 Tablespoons baking soda–it will fizz up, so please be careful! Add 1 cup hazelnuts and maintain at a boil for 3 minutes. In the meantime, fill a medium bowl with water and ice cubes. After the boiling time is up, use a slotted spoon to transfer the nuts to the ice bath. Use your fingertips to slide off the papery skin (if the skins don’t come right off, they may require a smidgen more boiling time). Once the skins are off, leave the nuts to air for a bit on a towel or paper towel before moving to a sealed sandwich bag in the fridge, or use in a recipe right away.
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    Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

    Posted by on May 28, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

    These Cookie Butter and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies are loaded with flavor and in an incredibly fun shape.

    Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

    As there is always someone out there who hasn’t encountered the wonders of cookie butter yet: it consists of pulverized spice cookies and oil, combined to form a cohesive, spreadable mix very similar to peanut butter. You can actually substitute it for peanut butter in most any recipe. You can buy brands like Biscoff or generic brands at stores like Walmart; look for it with the peanut butter. Speculoos is found at Trader Joe’s.

    Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

    Cookie butter tastes like cookies in their purest, sweetest form. Therefore, it is awesome paired with chocolate. Both flavors shine through in these firm yet softly-chewy cookies.

    Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

    Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

    These swirled cookies are delicious thanks to the winning combo of cookie butter and chocolate. Note that the dough needs to chill in stages; the shaped dough can also be frozen for convenient treats later.
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: chocolate, cookie butter, cookies
    Servings: 37 cookies
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • kitchen scale
    • plastic wrap
    • waxed paper

    Ingredients

    • 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup white sugar
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 cup creamy cookie butter such as Biscoff or Speculoos

    Instructions

    • In a microwave-safe bowl, carefully zap the chocolate chips long enough to make them soft and smooth when stirred. Set aside to cool.
    • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla until creamy. Gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt, until just combined.
    • Weigh the dough and divide in half.
    • To one half, add the melted chocolate, beating until the color is consistent. In another bowl, mix together the cookie butter and dough until the color is again consistent. Shape each piece into a disc, wrap them separately in plastic wrap, then chill for at least an hour.
    • Roll out the chocolate dough between two sheets of waxed paper to form a 12×7-inch rectangle. Repeat with the cookie butter dough. Peel away the waxed paper, setting one dough atop the other. Gently press together. Roll up, like a jelly roll, starting with the long 12-inch side. Again wrap the dough in plastic to chill for at least 2 hours, or add extra wrap and freeze up to a few weeks.
    • When it is time to bake, preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Line a sheet with parchment paper. Use a sharp knife or piece of unwaxed dental floss to cut 1/4-inch slices of dough. Set spaced out on parchment.
    • Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not EXTRA CHEESY: Swirled Goat Cheese Brownies

      Posted by on Apr 2, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, cheese galore, chocolate | 0 comments

      Welcome to a special month of Bready or Not. My cheese-centric cozy mystery Cheddar Luck Next Time will be released on April 8–next Tuesday–so we’re celebrating with a month of cheesy recipes from the Bready or Not archives. These recipes haven’t been featured for years and are well worth a revisit.

      Bready or Not Original: Swirled Goat Cheese Brownies

      We’re starting with a luscious and indulgent recipe for Swirled Goat Cheese Brownies.

      Bready or Not Original: Swirled Goat Cheese Brownies

      This recipe makes a small pan of brownies, 8×8 or 9×9, but it’s heavy on the cheese. A plain goat cheese log from Costco or Sam’s Club is especially cost efficient here, or get a couple of small logs from Aldi, if you’re so fortunate as to have one nearby. There’s a good dose of chocolate flavor here as well through both cocoa powder and chocolate chips.

      These brownies are thick and rich, perfect alongside some tea or coffee–and a good book.

      Cheddar Luck Next Time

      Please grab a copy of Cheddar Luck Next Time, which features an autistic (like me!) lead character with a passion for cheese (like me!).

      Amazon: paperback | ebook (affiliate links)
      Barnes & Noble: paperback & ebook
      Bookshop: paperback

      Bready or Not Original: Swirled Goat Cheese Brownies

      Goat cheese makes these swirled brownies taste delicious and fancy! This recipe is made to accommodate the size of goat cheese available at Costco. Serve these up at a holiday gathering and folks are sure to rave.
      Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: bars, brownies, cheese, chocolate
      Author: Beth Cato

      Ingredients

      Goat Cheese Swirl

      • 10 1/2 ounces goat cheese room temperature
      • 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
      • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
      • 2 large eggs room temperature

      Brownie Base

      • 2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder sifted
      • 1 cup white sugar
      • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
      • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
      • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
      • 1 cup all-purpose flour
      • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
      • 3 large eggs room temperature
      • 1/2 cup canola oil
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
      • Mix goat cheese swirl ingredients. Set aside.
      • Make the brownie base by whisking together the cocoa, sugars, salt, flour, and chips in a big mixing bowl. Add the eggs, oil, and water and vanilla extract until everything is just combined.
      • Spoon half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Dollop the cheese mixture atop it, then add the remaining brownie batter into the open spots. Use a knife to swirl the two layers together while still keeping them a bit distinct.
      • Bake the brownies for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the pan size. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness. The center should be set with the consistency still moist and fudgy. Cool to room temperature, then place in fridge to chill an hour or two prior to cutting.
      • Use foil to lift brownies onto cutting board for easy slicing. Store in a sealed container in fridge, with parchment or waxed paper between the layers.
      • OM NOM NOM!
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      Bready or Not Original: Cadbury Egg Brownies 13×9 Size (Redux)

      Posted by on Mar 26, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, chocolate | 0 comments

      Eight years have passed since I shared one of my signature recipes: it is time to revisit Cadbury Egg Brownies.

      Bready or Not Original: Cadbury Egg Brownies 13x9 Size (Redux)

      These homemade brownies taste like the Cadbury Eggs I was obsessed with as a kid. If you’re not familiar with this candy, it features a hollow chocolate egg the size of a real large chicken egg. Inside is a gooey super-sweet filling that is white and yellow to simulate the white and yolk of a real egg.

      These special brownies are not hard to make; if you can make brownies from scratch, you can do this recipe. There is some extra planning involved, though, as the layers must be worked on in spurts, with chilling time in between.

      Bready or Not Original: Cadbury Egg Brownies 13x9 Size (Redux)

      Truly, these Cadbury Egg Brownies are a showstopper recipe. They look cool. They taste amazing. Keep in mind that this recipe makes a lot, so do make sure you’re sharing these with a crowd.

      Bready or Not: Cadbury Egg Brownies

      These Cadbury Egg Brownies taste like the candy, but better, as the brownie base balances with the acute sweetness of the top layers. This recipe produces a full 13×9 pan of goodness; make this to share with a crowd!
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: bars, brownies, chocolate
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • 9×13 pan
      • aluminum foil or parchment paper
      • uneven spatula
      • microwave safe bowl or double boiler

      Ingredients

      For Brownies:

      • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
      • 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
      • 1 teaspoon salt
      • 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
      • 12 ounces milk chocolate chopped
      • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) cut into cubes
      • 1/2 cup white sugar
      • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
      • 4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
      • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

      For Cream Filling:

      • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
      • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (half stick) room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 3 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
      • yellow food coloring gel

      For Glaze:

      • 8 ounces milk chocolate chopped
      • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter half stick, cut into cubes

      Instructions

      Brownie stage

      • Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, making sure to overlap the sides to create handles. Cover with nonstick spray.
      • Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt (and espresso powder, if using) in a small bowl and set aside.
      • Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or in slow increments in microwave. Stir until smooth. Whisk in sugars and stir until dissolved and mixture has cooled slightly, then add eggs and vanilla extract until just combined.
      • Fold together the chocolate and flour mixes until just incorporated. Pour into prepared pan.
      • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

      Cream filling stage

      • Beat together corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, mixing until creamy.
      • Dump 3/4 of the cream mixture on top of cooled brownies and spread into an even layer. Add a drop of yellow food coloring gel to remaining cream mixture and stir until evenly colored. Drop dollops of yellow cream on top of white layer, and then swirl gently with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.

      Glaze stage

      • Slowly melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or microwave bowl. Stir until smooth. Pour over cream filling, carefully spreading into a thin, even layer.
      • Chill in the fridge long enough for the chocolate to not quite harden, 15-20 minutes, OR let it chill for several hours and then let set at room temperature for about 15 minutes. The chocolate needs to be soft enough to cut through without cracking, but not soft enough to smear with each cut.
      • Use the foil/paper to lift the entire block out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Keep in sealed container in fridge; brownies will keep upward of a week.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not Original: Roasted Cherry Brownies

        Posted by on Mar 12, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, chocolate | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Roasted Cherry Brownies

        These Roasted Cherry Brownies are thick, soft, and cakey, the strong chocolate flavor complemented by cherries in most every bite.

        Bready or Not Original: Roasted Cherry Brownies

        I looked to two older recipes of mine for inspiration as I came up with a new recipe: Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies and a Roasted Cherry Brownies version I did on the original LiveJournal Bready or Not.

        Bready or Not Original: Roasted Cherry Brownies

        The result of this combo? Lush brownies that are the perfect melding of chocolate and cherry. This may become your new favorite brownie recipe.

        Bready or Not Original: Roasted Cherry Brownies

        Bready or Not Original: Roasted Cherry Brownies

        Sugary roasted cherries take these brownies to the next level! These are truly indulgent.
        Course: Dessert
        Keyword: brownies, cherries, chocolate
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • rimmed cookie sheet
        • cherry pitter
        • 9×13 dish
        • aluminum foil
        • uneven spatula

        Ingredients

        Cherries

        • 2 cups fresh red cherries
        • 3 Tablespoons white sugar

        Brownie Batter

        • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
        • 8 ounces dark chocolate
        • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted
        • 1/2 teaspoon salt
        • 2 cups white sugar
        • 6 large eggs room temperature
        • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips or a mix

        Instructions

        • Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Wash and pit cherries, then cut them in half. Place on rimmed cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and stir. Roast for 10 minutes then remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325.
        • In a large microwave-safe bowl or in a pot on the stovetop, melt together the butter and dark chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
        • Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
        • Return to the large container with the melted butter and chocolate. Stir in the white sugar until no pale streaks remain. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until no white is visible. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips and most of the cherries.
        • Pour batter into the prepared dish. Use an uneven spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate and cherries over the top.
        • Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Set on a rack to cool for at least an hour, speeding process in fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Keeps for at least 3 days.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not: Sourdough Chocolate Loaf Cake

          Posted by on Mar 5, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, chocolate, sourdough | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Sourdough Chocolate Loaf Cake

          This Sourdough Chocolate Loaf Cake is rich with a deep chocolate flavor and tender crumb. It’s a fancy way to use up sourdough discard. My starter imbued this cake with a flavor like malt, so combined with chocolate, I was reminded of a chocolate milkshake.

          Bready or Not: Sourdough Chocolate Loaf Cake

          When I say discard, I mean the mother starter should be 1) active and 2) likely fed the evening before if this is being made in the morning. After the starter is divided to be used in this recipe, feed the mother starter again and tend as usual.

          Now, a confession: my first attempt at this recipe was a cake fail. The original Bake from Scratch recipe calls for baking an hour and five minutes. I did that, and the center of my loaf collapsed during cooling because it was completely raw inside. I did salvage the bottom, top, and sides, though.

          Bready or Not: Sourdough Chocolate Loaf Cake

          On my second attempt, I monitored closely after the hour point, and I kept baking. At an 1 hour 30 minutes, I declared it baked, and slicing into it later revealed it was just barely done. So, keep an eye on things. I’d rather have a bake overdone than underdone.

          Bready or Not: Sourdough Chocolate Loaf Cake

          This rich chocolate cake will be imbued with the unique flavor of sourdough. Serve for a dessert or brunch! This is a great recipe to slice up and freeze, too. Modified greatly from Bake from Scratch Cake 2019.
          Course: Breakfast, Dessert
          Keyword: chocolate, sourdough
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • loaf pan
          • parchment paper
          • nonstick spray

          Ingredients

          Loaf

          • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
          • 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
          • 1/2 cup white sugar
          • 1 large egg room temperature
          • 1 cup sourdough starter discard 275 grams
          • 1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk
          • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
          • 1 cup all-purpose flour
          • 3/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
          • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
          • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
          • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

          Glaze

          • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
          • 1 Tablespoon milk or half & half

          Instructions

          • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Cut parchment to fit inside the loaf pan like a sling, sticking up at the two long sides. Use nonstick spray in the pan and on the parchment paper.
          • Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add egg. Add sourdough discard, buttermilk or soured milk, and vanilla, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.
          • In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, scraping the bottom again. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
          • Bake for somewhere between 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes. After the hour point, use the toothpick test every so often to check for doneness; a digital thermometer is also a good way to check inside, with a goal of seeing over 190-degrees in the middle.
          • After about 15 minutes, use the paper sling to lift the loaf out. Let cool completely on a wire rack, speeding in the fridge if desired.
          • Make the glaze. Spoon it over the loaf pan to dribble over the sides. Let set at least 30 minutes. Slice and enjoy! Store in a sealed bag or container. Cake can also be frozen in slices for later enjoyment.

          OM NOM NOM!

            Notes

            Make soured milk by pouring a discernible layer of lemon juice or vinegar into the bottom of a liquid 1/2 cup measure. Add milk or half & half to that half cup line. Let sit at room temperature to coagulate, about 10 minutes, then use the lumpy mixture in the recipe.
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