April 13, 2009 at 2:57 pm (7 ingredients or less, butter, dessert sauces, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, salt, stovetop, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla)
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 T butter
1/2 C water
3/4 C sugar
3 T light corn syrup
Big pinch of salt
2 t vanilla extract
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1. In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine the chocolate, butter and water. Stir until smooth.
2. Add the sugar, corn syrup and salt. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar in dissolved.
3. Let simmer gently for about 8 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Serve hot or warm.
April 10, 2009 at 9:33 am (Aldi ingredients, Desserts, butter, cake, cocoa, eggs, granulated sugar, oven, pecans, poundcake, salt, stovetop, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla, walnuts)
Makes a 9×13″ panful; cut them as you want.
8 T butter
1 C cocoa OR 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 C flour
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
3/4 C coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (more or less)
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1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan.
2. In a 1-qt or larger saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. If using chocolate, melt the chocolate with the butter. If using cocoa, stir the cocoa into the melted butter using a wooden spoon.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Still using a wooden spoon, beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next.
5. Stir in the flour, vanilla and salt to make a smooth, dark batter.
6. Blend in the nuts, unless you only have a few, in which case, reserve them to sprinkle over the top.
7. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minuts, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.
Variation: The same ingredients in the same proportions can also be made into a perfect chocolate pound cake. Instead of melting the butter, cream it with the sugar, using an electric mixer. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating very thoroughly between additions. Beat in the cocoa thoroughly, then beat in the flour, salt and vanilla. When all the ingredients have been added and thoroughly blended, beat an additional 90 seconds or so. You will see the batter turn a lighter color. Pour into a greased 9″ square cake pan and bake as above. The only trouble with this cake is that it is significantly better the day after it is baked and it doesn’t always last that long.
