After a quick search on Google I’ve come to the conclusion that the words “leftover” and “chocolate” are rarely used in the same sentence. I suppose after the collective sugar coma most of us endured on Easter; there wouldn’t be so much as a tip of a chocolate bunny’s ear left amongst the plastic grass and broken eggs.
Then again, my family rarely follows conventional wisdom. Despite the sugar fest that took place here last week, we still had a basket full of chocolate sitting on the kitchen counter.
The leftover chocolate taunted me for days, and a few hours ago I finally broke down. However, instead of devouring the sweet treats directly from my daughter’s Easter basket, I rationalized that if I melted the chocolate and added it to some of my favorite dessert recipes I could gorge without the guilt.
Wishful thinking.
Still, if you have leftover chocolate, don’t dump it. Instead, put it to good use in the following simple recipes:
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE
Ingredients for Cake:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions for Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
Sift together flour, cocoa and baking soda.
Gently whisk dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Pour batter into greased 8-inch cake pans.
Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool.
Place one layer of cake onto plate.
Spread with half of the frosting (see recipe below).
Top with second layer of cake.
Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
Ingredients for Frosting:
1 pound chocolate candy
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Directions for Frosting:
Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate.
Let the cream settle.
Allow mixture to sit for 2 minutes.
Whisk until smooth.
Set aside and let set up at room temperature before frosting cake.
CHOCOLATE TORTE
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
2 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 8-ounce containers of Cool Whip
3 cups milk
2 small boxes instant chocolate pudding
1 large chocolate candy bar (or 1 large chocolate bunny or 6 small chocolate bars)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together butter, flour, and pecans.
Press mixture into ungreased 9 by 13-inch pan.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool.
In a medium size mixing bowl beat together powdered sugar and softened cream cheese.
Fold in one 8-ounce container of Cool Whip.
Spread over cooled crust.
Beat milk and two packages pudding mix.
Spread over cream cheese layer.
Spread one 8-ounce container of Cool Whip over pudding layer.
Cut up the candy bars and sprinkle them on top of dessert.
Refrigerate several hours or overnight until ready to serve.
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