Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches

The original recipe can be found here: Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches

You Will Need:  

1. 1 ¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
2. 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3. ½ teaspoon Salt
4. ½ cup Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (try Nutella)
5. 1 stick of softened Butter
6. ½ cup White Sugar
7. ½ cup Brown Sugar
8. 1 Egg
9. 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
10. ½ Raw Sugar
11. 9-ounce package of Chocolate Candy Kisses  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt (then set aside).
2. In another medium bowl, place the chocolate hazelnut spread, butter and both sugars and cream together with a mixer.
3. Add the egg and vanilla, and then blend until well incorporated. Stir in the dry ingredients.
4. Shape the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls, then roll in raw sugar.
5. Place on a cookie sheet about four inches apart and bake for 8 minutes.
6. Remove the cookies from the oven and place a kiss in the middle of each. Return to the oven for another 3 minutes.

Changed: This recipe was good the first time around, but on my second attempt, I made some changes. First, instead of a half-teaspoon salt, I only used a pinch. Half a teaspoon was enough to make the salty taste noticeable, and I didn't like that. Second, I had a lot of whole-wheat flour left over from a previous recipe, so I decided to substitute it in for the all-purpose flour. The taste was the same and the chocolate made the dough already dark, so they didn't look any different. The cookies were even better for your heart! If you're hesitant about the switch, try mixing the two flours together to add some whole wheat into your cookies. The final change was less white sugar; I changed it from one-half cup to a one-fourth cup. They still tasted sweet and no one even noticed. 

I also changed the bake time for the cookies. I prefer chewy cookies over crunchy ones, so instead of the initial eight minute bake time, I kept them in for only six. Then, after taking them out and placing the kiss in the middle, I returned them to the oven for four minutes. Still cooked completely but more chewy!

The Verdict: These cookies are fast, easy, and very good. Be careful when placing the kiss in the middle since the dough is extremely hot. That seems like a very obvious observation, but one can sometimes forget.

The Calories: only about 100 calories per cookie (in a batch of 25)

Enjoy! 

Black Forest Cupcakes

The original recipe can be found here: Black Forest Cupcakes

You Will Need:

1. 1 box Devil's Food Cake mix 
2. 1 ⅓ cups of Black Cherry Soda
3. ½ cup of Vegetable Oil
4. 3 Eggs 
5. 2 teaspoons Cherry Juice 
6. A couple drops of Red Food Coloring 
7. 24 whole Maraschino Cherries
8. Vanilla Frosting 

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, soda, vegetable oil, and eggs.
3. Using a mixer, combine all ingredients until batter is thoroughly mixed.
4. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 19 to 22 minutes.
5. Frost cupcakes after they have cooled completely. 

Changed: I used homemade butter-cream instead of buying vanilla frosting. Butter-cream is actually similar in calories to the store-bought container, but it tastes much better! I follow a Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe, but instead of three cups confectioner's sugar, I use only about two and a half. It's best to taste the frosting prior to adding more sugar so it doesn't become too sweet. I also add a pinch of salt, some red food coloring, and some cherry juice. This makes the frosting tastier and more appropriate for these cupcakes!

Quick Tip: When making the frosting, be sure to beat the butter for at least three minutes before adding the sugar. You want light and fluffy, so if any clumps or big pieces remain, you haven't mixed enough. 

The Verdict: If you are looking for a quick, effortless treat, this is a perfect choice. The frosting may be the only part that requires a bit of time (especially topping the cupcakes), so if you're running short on time, simply use store-bought frosting. 

The Calories: around 240 calories per cupcake (in a batch of 24)

The Beginning

Welcome to my Blog!

My name is Natalie. I'm a 20 year old student who LOVES to bake for friends and family. I tend to bake something about once a week, enough to keep my sweet tooth (and my family's) satisfied.

This blog is dedicated to helping casual bakers. I present you with recipes I've tried and loved, then tell you what I did differently for better results. I post pictures, quick tips, final verdicts, and even count the calories! Each of these desserts will cost you no more than $10 to make, and many items needed for these recipes are somewhere in the kitchen.
I'll try to post a variety of baked goods, and if you'd like to submit a request, I'm always up for the challenge.

Happy Baking :)